United We Stand, a Stargate Alternate Universe
by LHB
Summary: One of the main tropes of Stargate was that it could be happening Right Now, hidden from the public by government secrecy. This alternate universe assumes Stargate is happening in our world as we know it with a heavier dose of realism and harder sci fi. It tells the story of the SGC, Earth, and humanity in a universe full of aliens, technological wonders, and galactic conflict.
1. Chapter 1: First Contact

**Chapter 1: First Contact**

Governor's Mansion, Little Rock, Arkansas, March 12th, 1991 7:18PM

Rain pattered on the windows as Governor William Jefferson Clinton and Hilary Rodham Clinton sat quietly in the main study. In the background the television was silently showing footage from a parade earlier that day of troops returning from victory in the Persian Gulf. The only sound aside from the raindrops was the steady ticking of a grandfather clock. Both sat in the stillness. "This changes everything," he said. "How?" replies Hilary. "He's the same man he was before the war." Bill looks down at the glass in his hand, swirling the bourbon for a moment. "No president has ever lost re-election after winning a war not to mention his poll numbers are through the roof. Unless they catch him with a live boy and a dead girl there's no way he's going to lose."

Hilary looks him in the eye saying, "That's going to keep the field clear. You'll easily get the nomination and who knows what will happen between now and Election Day? You can beat him!" Hilary replies, "Are you sure about this? You know he's got the charisma of a block of wood. Compared to Bush you could sell freezers to Eskimos!" Bill chuckled, "Charisma won't be enough to beat a winner honey and it's not like I'm Jack Kennedy." Hilary smiled in reply, "You could be."

Bill leaned back in his chair, chuckling as he spun in his chair. "Do you really think so? Jack Kennedy was one hell of a man, he could've won this election." Hilary nodded, replying, "You've got what it takes. The people of Arkansas love you, you've got a solid record as a Democratic governor in a conservative state, and you can talk rings around anyone!" Bill sighs again, "If this is such a great opportunity why are the other heavyweights in the party sitting quiet? It'll make the nomination easy to snatch but that doesn't look good for the general election." Hilary shook her head, responding, "That doesn't matter, politics change every day! With the nomination a sure thing that leaves less to worry about!"

"And what if I lose?" he replied. "I can count the number of politicians who have come back from losing a presidential election on one hand without using my thumb. What if this year is too much of a gamble and both our careers get flushed down the drain before they have a chance to begin?" Hilary paused, temporarily speechless. "If I run for office there's no going back. We'd be going all in." "So you think we can't win this one?" she said. After another long sight Bill replied, "I don't know. I honestly have no idea how it could turn out. I just know the odds aren't good."

"Maybe we should sleep on this" mused Hilary. "We're both too used to playing devil's advocate with each other, nothing either of us is going to say in the next couple of hours will change that." Bill laughed a bit, "I like that idea. I'll be along in a minute, I just need to clear my head." Hilary smiled as she stood up, "I'll see you soon." As Hilary left the room Bill stood up and filled his glass with fresh bourbon. Sitting back down he swirled the liquor, looking out into the rain.

So much was at stake and so little was certain. Not only did Americans love sticking with a winner, they hadn't seen images of victorious troops parading through the nation's streets since the end of WWII. The ticker tape parades, smiling families, and proud columns marching through Washington DC and every town with a military base worth mentioning gave Bush more than just a bump in the polls. He'd restored America's image and power abroad, something no one could possibly ignore.

Even with rumors of economic jitters and market uncertainty there was simply no way a slick governor from Arkansas could carry the election. Still one major possibility failed to leave Bill's head as he quietly ruminated on his political chances. What if he won? Winning at such high stakes, in a year no one would call as a Democratic one, would be a major upset for the political establishment. If he succeeded he could remake the whole party, bringing it into the new realities of the world.

But losing? Losing in 1992 would destroy his political chances. He chuckled ruefully, recalling the disaster that was the 1988 DNC address. Pundits and politicians panned his delivery as long-winded and boring. They'd all laughed at him then but it would be nothing compared to losing. Was the opportunity worth risking political suicide?

Bill grimaced as he rubbed his fingers on his temples. This was too much to figure out in one night. He slowly swirled the bourbon around in the glass before taking one last sip. As he stood up his hand drifted into his pocket, fingers brushing up against an old dime. Pausing a moment, he pulls it out of his trouser pocket. Holding the coin out in front of him, Bill turned the miniature portrait of Franklin Roosevelt around in his fingers. "What the hell," Bill muttered as he made a fist, placing the dime over his thumb. He flicked, watching as the coin spun in the air.

"April 2nd, 998 M11 is a day remembered across the entire human race as one of the most infamous and pivotal in its history. Early in the morning the skies of the Northern Hemisphere were lit up by a pair of titanic explosions radiating from space just over the Bering Strait. For hours before orbital satellites, observatories, and amateur astronomers all tracked two enormous objects of clearly artificial origin. At the time only a handful in the highest levels of governments worldwide had an inkling of what was happening. The forces of the System Lord Apophis had arrived.

Behind closed doors many moved quickly to react to the threat. The President of the United States hurriedly contacted the leaders of the United Kingdom, the Republic of France, the Russian Federation, and the People's Republic of China to confirm what many already suspected: an unknown alien species had arrived in Earth orbit. After much intense discussion through ambassadors and direct conversations the other nuclear power leaders were informed of the true nature of the alien visitors and their hostile intentions. While not all of what the United States knew, at the time, was revealed and the content of these discussions remains classified to this day it is accepted that enough regarding the truth of the Goa'uld was revealed to persuade otherwise skeptical politicians to accept the US proposal for action.

Many at the time criticized the US government for this initial disclosure of information to two of America's greatest geopolitical rivals. Declassified minutes from the National Security Council meetings, released ten years ago, have shed further light into the logic guiding US decision-making and largely put this old debate to rest. Unknown to the general public the plan of action was to launch two naqahdah-enhanced nuclear bombs by rocket at Apophis' ships in the hopes these weapons would destroy the Goa'uld vessels. American leaders, aware of the number of close nuclear scares during and after the Cold War period that dominated much of the century including an infamous incident three years prior where Russian nuclear forces went to full alert in response to a Norwegian satellite launch, were concerned firing such weapons into orbit without proper advance warning could have triggered a cataclysmic response by other nuclear powers and provoked them into unleashing their nuclear arsenals. The consensus reached is it was better to reveal some of what the Stargate Program had discovered, risking further security breaches, than doom the world to atomic annihilation.

While the nuclear launch, as later declassified records show, failed to stop Apophis' ships the sabotage mission carried out by the famous SG-1 saved the world from Goa'uld domination and enslavement.(2) In the ensuing destruction an electro-magnetic pulse rippled through space disabling an estimated 45% of all orbital satellites. This disrupted radio and television broadcasts worldwide while the detonation of naqhadah-enhanced nuclear weapons and two Hataks lit up the skies of the Northern Hemisphere. There was no doubt, worldwide, something big had happened. Within an hour of the explosions, fearing panic and worse, the President of the United States addressed an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly. In this historic moment the Terran peoples first learned of intelligent life on other planets."

From Chapter 1: First Contact, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12(1)

"President Bill Clinton: My fellow humans, I have come before you today with news I never thought I would be sharing with the world.

Earlier today two alien spacecraft attempted to conquer Earth. Only through the heroic efforts of members of the United States military, who must remain anonymous, was our planet saved.

We learned of these aliens earlier this year when, using highly advanced technology, they staged a raid on an American military facility. Through interrogation of the survivors and study of their equipment we discovered who they are and what they want.

The aliens who attacked our planet call themselves the Goa'uld.

*a brief video clip of a hissing Goa'uld symbiont appears on a screen behind the President*

They are a race of parasites who use human beings as hosts. They take over the body and mind turning the victim into a prisoner inside their own bodies. These parasites use their technology to pose as Gods and enslave entire worlds.

If there is any question of their intentions the events earlier today leave little doubt they plan on making their visions of domination reality.

I call on all the nations of Earth to come together against this new threat. I cannot promise you a quick, or easy, victory. Today is the beginning of a long, just struggle for our freedom as a species from alien domination. United we must stand as divided we will surely fall."

From the records of the 52nd Session, United Nations General Assembly, April 2nd, 998 M11

"The revelation of alien life led to major reforms in how Stargate Command operated. As was discussed in Chapter 1 the SGC was founded on July 27th, 997 M11 as the Air Force's 354th Special Operations Group based out of Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. Officially the SGC was designated as a humanitarian support unit fulfilling similar functions to the 353rd Special Operations Group to conceal their true purpose. In these early days the SGC was a very small, highly specialized unit consisting of a handful of SG Teams including the famous SG-1. This first year laid the foundations of the knowledge and traditions that define Stargate Command to this day. In every operation from initial skirmishes with the forces of the System Lord Apophis to the fateful confrontation on April 2nd, 998 M11 the SG Teams met and exceeded all expectations in their heroic efforts during these early days.

In the wake of this earth-shattering announcement major changes regarding the administration of the Stargate Program were unfolding behind closed doors. While the President addressed the world liaisons in Brussels, Stuttgart, and other bases in Europe immediately contacted the commanding officers of the major NATO states. All were given the broad outlines on the Stargate Program kept secret from the general public with a promise of fuller disclosure later that day. An emergency conference was rapidly organized at Cheyenne Mountain consisting of the heads of the various armed forces, intelligence agencies, and governments of the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. It was in this meeting, with direct testimony from members of the SGC, the existence and activities of the Stargate Program were revealed to America's main allies.

Following this presentation the American delegation extended a proposal to their now shocked and somewhat disgruntled allies. With a frank admission this threat was too big for the United States to tackle alone, the American delegation proposed opening up participation in the program to all nations present with full disclosure and sharing of off-world technology and discoveries between the allied nations. In exchange each participating government would provide personnel, funding, and basing for the soon to be international Stargate Command. After their initial skepticism wore off the Allied delegations agreed to present this proposal, in secret, to their governments before delivering any response. After considerable debate the new allies signed on one by one with Japan the last to do so on May 17th.

In the month that followed a series of negotiations established the new framework for Stargate Command laying down the specifics as to how the new Allied command would function. Along with funding support from each party to the new arrangement the Allies opened up the highest levels of their militaries for recruitment into the ranks of the SGC. One major concession demanded of the Allied powers was placing the operations and strategic command under the newly-formed International Oversight Commission. The IOC consisted of representatives from the military, intelligence, and governments of all participants in the SGC. Its mandate was to coordinate, oversee, and disseminate all activities and information obtained by Stargate Command's operations. The IOC also was tasked with coordinating the defense of Earth in the event of another alien attack.

On paper this made the Stargate Program an international affair but in practice for many years it would remain dominated by the American military thanks to the greater contributions of personnel and resources made by the US government. Two other major concessions to their allies regarded the location of the Stargates themselves. The revelation the United States had not one but two gates, the Giza Gate and the Antarctic Gate recovered in the year, was met with outrage on the part of the allies made worse by the original intent of the US to keep it in storage as a backup. The security of Cheyenne Mountain, in particular its close proximity to major populated areas, was another concern raised by the Allies. The resolution of this impasse was provided by a joint British-Australian proposal to relocate the Giza Gate to a new, more secure location once one was ready while the Antarctic Gate would be used by a new, second Stargate facility in the Australian Outback.

While this discussion carried on the United States Congress immediately tabled all other items for discussion to take up the matter of the new threat from the stars. In these furious debates Senator Kinsey and other Blue Dog Democrats, with support from some liberal Democrats, pushed for establishing a new cabinet-level department for handling such decisions while others in the President's Democratic Party and the Republicans favored leaving the details of stellar defense in the hands of the military. Adding further complications to an already intense debate was the quieter, behind closed doors skirmishing between the branches of the US Armed Forces playing out in Congress. Each branch, previously indifferent to the Air Force's pet project that mostly succeeded up to that point in little gain and much risk, now saw the prospect of massively increased funding as a cause worth fighting over. The intelligence community also got in on the fun with each agency demanding a piece of the action. Regardless of the solution offered all members of Congress agreed that a lot of money needed to be thrown at this problem, resulting in a very big bone for everyone to fight over.

The resulting compromise would be widely duplicated by other governments of the world both Allied nations and rivals like Russia, China, and India. After two months of intense discussions, negotiations, and horse trading Congress formally established the United States Space Forces. The USSF would be responsible for planetary defense, off-world activity, and researching new technologies for protecting the United States and Earth from alien attack. The first major acts of reorganization of the nation's defense assets included transferring all space-related assets held by the other armed forces to the Space Forces, the transfer of NASA to the USSF as the core of Interstellar Command, and finally the secret re-assignment of the SGC and all personnel to the Space Forces as the nucleus of the new Stargate Command.

The Pentagon, during this intense period of reorganization, concluded with the increased demands on the Stargate Program major changes had to be made. The SG Teams, who had proven their worth in repelling Apophis' attack, would be retained and expanded to a total of 32 from 12 including new teams consisting of Allied recruits from Allied special forces units. The teams were organized into Stargate Operations Groups of four teams for larger operations.

They would be bolstered with the founding of the Gate Corps. These personnel were recruited from the best of the US and Allied militaries to serve as a specialized, elite light infantry formation similar to the British Paratroopers and the US Army Rangers for larger-scale gate-based operations. Unlike the SG Teams who were used very much as reconnaissance, first contact, special forces, and retrieval-based units the Gate Corps was intended to fight set-piece battles both in defense of SGC facilities and on the attack off-world. Their initial requirements for personnel meant the first members of the Gate Corps would be drawn from already active duty personnel who would be retrained for their new assignments. By the year's end a full division of these dedicated, elite personnel were ready for action planetside with two additional independent battalions stationed at the Alpha and Beta sites. The exploits of the Gate Corps' First Brigade would soon join the annals of modern military history alongside the already impressive record of the SG Teams led by the famous SG-1."

From Chapter 3: Reform and Reinforcement, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12 

Dan Rather: The tide of unrest sweeping the world in the wake of First Contact is beginning to subside. Martial law remains in place in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, and Phoenix where authorities ask everyone to stay in their homes. The nationwide curfew of 10:00PM remains in effect to keep the streets clear for law enforcement and military personnel.

*cuts to footage of burning cars, a tank driving through the streets of Chicago, and soldiers patrolling on the streets*

Satellite launches are at a record high as NASA scrambles to replace all of the equipment destroyed during the attack. NASA officials say they expect for the destroyed satellites to be replaced by December.

Authorities in Denver found the remains of another suicide cult in a small suburban home. Calling themselves the Order of the Shining Halo their manifesto claimed the exploding ships opened a portal to another level of reality forcing them to shed their mortal bodies and ascend to another plane of existence. 21 victims were identified and recovered making it the largest mass suicide since the Montana-based Cult of Seth's demise earlier this week.

We go now to Rita Braver at the White House for an update on the situation. Rita?

Rita Braver, CBS Chief White House Correspondent: Thanks Dan. The Clinton Administration has released further information corroborating their claims of alien attack. Members of the press were granted exclusive access to the wreckage of one of the alien fighter craft known as a "Death Glider".

*Pans to camera footage of a wrecked, slightly charred Death Glider next to an F-16 for size comparison, followed by footage of a Death Glider in flight and firing weapons*

The White House's surprising announcement at the UN last week did not stay the only one. Shortly after President Clinton finished his address Prime Minister Tony Blair released his own corroborating statement claiming the British government had their own inconvertible evidence of the existence of alien life. The greatest surprise on the international front, however, came two days ago when Russian President Boris Yelstin and Chinese President Jiang Zemin came forward with their own evidence of alien life.

CBS Evening News Broadcast, April 9th, 998 M11

"The impact of First Contact on Terra's cultural development cannot be understated. Many critics have argued human culture, in this period, had entered a state of stagnation and ennui. The sudden shock of First Contact shocked Earth out of its collective complacency. People, confronted with information of world-shattering implications, lashed out in a number of ways. The riots and revolts in the month that followed was followed by a new flowering of expression. Whatever their initial reaction when order was restored the world knew things could never be the same.

The knowledge that humanity was no longer alone in the universe sparked the Second Golden Age of Science Fiction. In every cultural medium stories of interstellar flight, space operas, and alien life-forms surged ahead. The long-standing franchises experienced renewed interest with Star Trek's Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise all seeing record-setting popularity, the return of BBC's Doctor Who in 999, and the release of Star Wars: the Phantom Menace in the same year. Across nations and continents themes of good versus evil, cosmic clashes, and a strong sense of a special human destiny were central to the new stories coming out in the wake of First Contact.

This revival came with a much darker side. That First Contact was an attempted war colored the perspectives of many. For all the sense of new possibility there was a profound fear and sense of doubt thanks to First Contact's hostile nature. People feared the worst was lurking in the darkness of deep space, waiting to leap out and destroy everything they knew and loved. Fear of the alien, the unknown, and the strange became powerful themes in works of the immediate post-Contact period. All of this reflected a deeper uncertainty of these early years of Earth's entry into the greater galaxy.

Yet for all of this instability First Contact and its upheaval was a powerful moment for humanity. April 2nd, 998 became a date burned in the memory of the Terran peoples. It became a powerful, shared moment for every person on Earth and serves as a common touchstone for many. People who were alive for First Contact often begin conversations by swapping Contact stories of where they were on that day and in the weeks after. For all the trauma Apophis' assault caused in the immediate term it cleared the way for a new understanding of humanity."

From Chapter 1: First Contact, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

"Amidst the immediate chaos following First Contact the global economy reeled from the effects of Apophis' invasion attempt. The destruction of communication satellites as a result of the engagement, for reasons unknown at the time, seriously disrupted the flow of information in the world's financial markets. This unanticipated disruption of communications sparked a panic on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange triggering an economic stampede. Nervous, jumpy traders instinctively pulled back as much as possible to protect assets resulting in a vicious feedback loop of plunging stock prices, further withdrawal of credit from the market, and plummeting indexes as the contagion spread worldwide. The Contact Crash had begun.

By the time President Clinton finished his Contact Address to the United Nations every exchange from London to Tokyo was closing at record-setting lows. Bouts of civil unrest, rioting, and in the cases of the Suharto, Mubarak, and Assad regimes open revolution inspired further hoarding of capital, liquidation of assets, and a string of worldwide bank failures. The Panic of 998 pushed the world's economy, already unsteady thanks to the Asian Financial Crisis of 997 M11, over the edge into a sharp, painful recession.

For all the storm and fury that initiated the Contact Recession it ended surprisingly swiftly. In December recovery began in the newly-created Eurozone and China with the rest of the world picking up on their momentum in early 999. Proponents of the neo-liberal Washington Consensus argued this was thanks to relaxed barriers for the movement of goods and capital, reduced market regulations, and the free flow of capital. With further time and distance from the event we can get a better understanding of what really caused the recovery.

Some aspects of the neo-liberal argument hold truth but they miss deeper, more crucial structural elements. The Crash itself was caused by an unanticipated disaster inspiring a mass panic in an already highly anxious industry. Stock trading in the late 11th millennium was an incredibly high stress job with millions, sometimes billions, made or lost based on split-second decisions. Substance abuse and stress-related medical conditions were incredibly common. It is for good reason economic historians like Naomi Lassiter have compared the environment to a high-stakes casino. These environmental factors explain not only why the Crash happened but also how the recovery began.

Unlike most economic crises common in late stage capitalism the underlying weaknesses were less prevalent. Many industries, in spite of the brief loss of capital, were not encountering the usual problems posed by falling rates of profit. In some fields, like the growing IT sector, the Crash caused large-scale business failures but these would prove to be a blessing in disguise. Many of the failing businesses in the technology industry were operating on business models built entirely on speculation. The pruning of deadwood was dramatic but did little direct impact to core economic functions. Banking failures, similarly, were high profile but often relatively isolated affairs and virtually unheard of in the developed world. After the initial shocks passed, civil unrest subsided, and capital flowed back into the market.

The recovery was used by free trade proponents as justification for accelerating the growth of free trade zones. In the European Union the pace of replacing old currencies picked up steam with the greatest shock coming in 5 M12 when the British government adopted the euro. The United States, Canada, and Mexico extended invitations to the nations of Central America and the Caribbean to join the recently-established NAFTA seeing largely positive responses from each. China, taking a cue from the US and Europe, entered trade talks with Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and North Korea proposing their own East Asian Free Trade Agreement. On March 8th, 999 M11 representatives from every South American government met in Bogota to discuss their own continental trade agreement based on the principles of the European Union. The growing global trend towards strong, regional trade blocs began in the wake of the Contact Recession and would have far-reaching effects on world history."

From Chapter 1: Contact Crash, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"Ra's demise in 994 M11 at the hands of the first Stargate expedition created a major power vacuum amongst the Goa'uld. The Empire's feudal structure and deliberate division of power by Apep and Ra were effective mechanisms for maintaining control over the unruly System Lords and scheming Underlords. These methods, along with nonexistent succession rules and power transfers handled by war or palace coup, make sense when the main political actors are near-immortal space parasites. Successful System Lords reigned for hundreds, in some cases thousands, of years with Ra's sixteen millennia reign as Supreme System Lord. This system, over time, developed a Social Darwinist mentality further justifying this chaotic, violent political system.

The Goa'uld practice of presenting themselves, through their parasitic abilities and advanced technology, as Gods seems to have been both a tactic for control and a genuine cultural belief that grew out of this environment. Not only, as military records and off-world surveys show, was this useful for indoctrinating enslaved populations of humans and Jaffa it grew out of a deeper conviction of their right to rule the galaxy. As the Goa'uld came to believe their ability to take control of nearly any form of biological life along with the enhancements implantation provided to the host proved their destiny was to rule other life forms. Over time under Ra's rule, especially following Pelops' creation of the Jaffa, this same logic of domination of the host extended to the political foundations of Goa'uld society. Just as the Goa'uld were fit to rule the universe so too was it appropriate that the strongest, most cunning, and most powerful Goa'uld rule the Empire. It is argued this, along with the endemic use of Sarcophagus technology and its known negative impact on psychological stability, explains the notorious Goa'uld arrogance, grandiosity, and cruelty.

There are some human philosophers, likely influenced by Goa'uld rulers, throughout history who have argued for similar systems with the most horrific example in history being the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. What proponents of such systems, like the Goa'uld, fail to realize is rule through raw power and force has two major weaknesses. The first is the constant requirement of keeping one's underlings and subjects in a state where they can never challenge the existing system. As a direct result those who are competent and seen as threatening to their overlords often end up exiled, imprisoned, or killed. The importance of image and prestige in such systems further exacerbates the situation leading to what pundits in the late 900s M11 called the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" meaning anyone who stuck too far out from the crowd ran the risk of getting cut down.

The other major flaw in Social Darwinian systems is chronic instability. When there are no peaceful changes of power all politics become inherently violent. Serious dissent is often seen as a direct threat to the ruling elites making change, adaptation, and reform only possible by forcibly seizing power or displays of power sufficient to compel submission. The result means all matters of policy can, quite potentially, be issues of life and death. Poor decisions, reckless wars, and unlucky alliances can mean the death of not just the individual actor but any of their supporters along with those deemed insufficiently loyal. The staying power of institutional memory found in human social structures is simply nonexistent as frequent political purges decimates working knowledge and experience. In such an environment nepotism and mediocrity ran rampant with loyalty more valued than ability.

Ra's death in such an environment was a massively destabilizing moment. The Goa'uld Empire had seen other rulers before but in each case, Ra included, they rose to power by defeating their predecessors through war or palace intrigue. Furthermore during his long rule the Supreme System Lord succeeded in sufficiently weakening the power of each System Lord and pitting them against one another in petty squabbles, with the rivalry between his brother Apophis and Kronos being one of the more famous examples of this policy, to prevent them from organizing en masse against him. These two factors meant his unexpected death in what to the Goa'uld was assumed to be a freak accident or slave uprising caught the Empire by surprise. None of the remaining twenty System Lords were powerful enough to seize control through main force alone. The mutual suspicions and history of conflict spanning eons meant none would willingly agree to convene a Council of System Lords to settle the matter and prevented any cohesive blocs from rallying to any of the existing claimants. What followed were three years of war between the System Lords in a brutal free for all battle for Ra's throne and domain.

The beginning of the conflict between Earth and Apophis came in the midst of this turmoil. By 997 M11 the three most powerful System Lords in the galaxy were Apophis, Heru'ur, and Cronos. Each commanded fleets of dozens of Ha'taks, millions of Jaffa warriors, and successfully compelled the obedience of many weaker System Lords through intimidation, force, and guile. The situation had forced a stalemate as none was strong enough to conquer their adversaries or capable of trusting each other enough to combine against a common enemy. They also faced challenges from the handful of independent System Lords like Yu-huang Shang Ti whose forces were strong enough, in the climate of geopolitical stasis, to hold off would-be conquerors.

Apophis' sudden, unexpected defeat at the hands of the seemingly primitive inhabitants of Earth was a major game-changer in this tense environment. While Apophis' strike force of two Ha'tak with embarked Jaffa did not represent a major military commitment compared to the great clashes with the System Lords his seemingly easy defeat by Terran forces was a major blow to his prestige. His easy defeat and absence during his return to Chulak from Earth gave his enemies Cronos and Heru'ur the opening they needed for a massed attack. Both System Lords fell on Apophis' domains like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Adding insult to injury some of Apophis' more powerful, restive vassals like Ba'al and Moloc used his moment of weakness as the opportunity to break free from their overlord. By the time the Serpent Lord returned to his throne his fleet was in retreat, his armies in disarray, and his domain fraying on all sides."

From Chapter Two: Cracks in the Goa'uld Empire, _A Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12

"There are aliens among us, and you may be one of them. The Bible speaks of these aliens in Genesis 1: Having completed the creation of the natural world, God decided to create women and men in God's image. Whereas everything else in the created world is fashioned within the cosmos, people are created in some liminal space and plopped on the earth to rule over her — alien invaders set on expansion and domination (Genesis 1:26-28).

Aliens believe they are in the world, but not of the world. They long for heaven, dream of rapture, and too often promote martyrdom and homicide as ways of hastening their entry into the extra-planetary paradise they believe is their due.

Aliens are alienated from the earth, feel no obligation to nature and exploit her remorselessly.

Aliens frighten me.

I prefer the company of earthlings, organic beings drawn up from the earth to serve creation rather than dominate it. The Bible speaks of these earthlings in Genesis 2: the earth was lifeless and bare for there was as yet no water to moisten the soil and no gardeners to till it. So God caused a mist to rise up from the ground, and took from the freshly made mud and formed an earthling. God breathed into this mixture of water and earth and it became aware (Genesis 2:4-7). Aware of what? Aware of itself as mud, aware of its task as midwife to nature's creativity, aware of itself as speaker for the sea and the land and all their inhabitants.

Earthlings give me hope.

But my hope is contingent upon their ability to act against the obvious dangers all around us. How are we to know our leaders are true Earthlings? Satan is the master of lies and tries to deceive us by appearing to us in forms we trust. His minions may promise what appears to be salvation deceiving true Earthlings into doing the work of his alien catspaws but we must not give in to his wiles!

It is because I have proof of this collusion between our so-called leaders and the demons seeking to claim humanity's soul that I have taken up arms to do the Lord's Work. I can no longer stand by while the alien spawn of Satan suck the good, the life, and hope out of God's creation. I do not apologize for my actions or expect forgiveness from any Earthly authority. I am doing God's Work and only He will stand in judgment of me."

Translated from the original French manifesto published online on February 8th, 999 M11 by Claude Michel also known as the Eiffel Tower Sniper

"In the wake of First Contact a new intellectual revolution swept the world. Academics challenged long-held assumptions in every field from archaeology to astrophysics. The demands of securing Earth's defense against alien invasion led to an enormous flowering of scholarship. Every nation with the spare resources to spend poured what they could into particle physics, computer science, rocketry, and astrophysical research groping for ways off planet and into the stars. Archeology, history, and linguistics enjoyed renewed popularity thanks to generous funding for these programs first by the Allied nations and then by China and Russia in the search for hidden alien artifacts on Earth. In the physical sciences like chemistry and metallurgy recovered Goa'uld and other alien devices were tested in secret facilities like Area 51, Porton Downs, Black Island, and the Kasso Complex and discoveries deemed non-threatening to national security slowly released to the public. Biologists and pharmacologists studied living specimens from other worlds for solutions to problems on Terra.

To better protect these developments all such new discoveries became the patented inventions, trademarks, and property of a number of shell companies owned by Stargate Command. This system, while imperfect and prone to subversion by rogue interests, became a source of revenue for the program reducing the need to depend on black budgets and highly effective for keeping track of what elements of the private sector were using alien technologies. Soon the methods patented by Stargate Command researchers were steadily trickling into the market leading to new, incredible leaps in technological development worldwide. Mobile technology, in particular, would explode forward as shown by the 2001 release of Apple's iPhone possible thanks in part to reverse-engineered batteries and cheaper, compact superconducting materials developed in secret government labs.

Another key development from the years immediately following First Contact was a seismic shift in the social sciences. With most of the attention given in the popular imagination to the technological transformations of this period a more subtle yet equally critical intellectual change was occurring. The discovery of life on other planets inspired a renewed interest in the works of global systems theorists like Immanuel Wallerstein. Scholars in economics, history, anthropology, and political science were increasingly examining the world in a more global perspective alongside the growth of trade blocs. Another example of this steady shift is seen in the increasingly international, globalized nature of the social justice movements who would emerge as a major force during the early years of the present millennium."

From Chapter One: A New Intellectual Universe, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12

1\. The dating system used by "present day" for this alternate universe is based on the Holocene Calendar. The dating system is converted from the BC/AD system in common use today by adding 10,000 years to the date. 1998 AD under this system would be written as 998 M11.

2\. Just as in-show the mission SG-1 launched was not approved and against orders. This little detail was wiped out of the historical record following SG-1's success with credit given to Gen. Hammond and SG-1 for coming up with and successfully executing their plan.


	2. Chapter 2: Looking to the Stars

**Chapter 2: Looking to the Stars**

Corporal Terry Winters fidgeted in his seat in the briefing room with the rest of Bravo Company and three SG teams. _When I signed up for the Marines like Pa did back in Nam,_ he thought, _I never dreamed we'd be fighting space aliens._ Everything from the day he was selected for transfer to a top secret branch of the newly-formed USSF to finishing additional Gate Corps special training at Gamma Site two weeks before still felt like he was living in a dream. From the sounds and lack of chatter in the room Winters guessed he was far from the only soldier reflecting on the sheer weirdness of their current assignment. The collective walk down memory lane came to an abrupt halt as every person in the room leapt to their feet as Colonel Jack O'Neil, Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c entered the room. Almost as soon as they were up O'Neil was already saying, "At ease troops."

"Is everyone good and comfortable? I hope I don't make this too boring for all of you so let's get to it," said Col. O'Neil. "As you are all know this raid is key to the success of HIGHLINE. Our intel says P4X-298 is home to one of Heru'ur's maintenance depots. With the recent fighting between the System Lords Central thinks we have a shot at taking something really valuable from the Snakes. Major Carter will explain more, Carter?" The screen behind Carter and SG-1 lights up with a picture of a deep red crystal the size of a spray can mounted in an interface as the Major steps forward.

"So far we've only been making limited progress in understanding Goa'uld technology and gathering information on their movements. From what we've managed to uncover we have learned Goa'uld computers store their information on artificially-grown crystals like this one. Our objective is to acquire some of these crystals and their interface devices so we can better understand how this technology works and, if we're lucky, find out more about Goa'uld movements and operations."

"The raid," says Col. O'Neil, "is a pretty standard smash and grab. Bravo Company will charge through the gate, secure the area, and hold it against Heru'ur's Jaffa. The Operations Group, consisting of SG-1, SG-3, SG-13, and SG-19, will make for the depot once the gate is secure, infiltrate the enemy compound, locate the crystals, and make for the gate. We expect to be in, out, and on our way home in an hour, tops. Any questions?"  
His eyes sweep the room before saying, "Remember that we leave no one behind. Dismissed!"

After suiting up Winters and his squad moved into position in the Alpha Site gateroom watching as the gate spun up a wormhole. As quickly as the process always went it felt like each chevron took ages to lock in. Before he knew it the gate exploded to life with its characteristic _whoosh_ scaring a jump out of half of the room. "Gets me every time," mutters Private Tyson Brooks, one of his squadmates who like Winters was from a North Carolina military family and a Marine. Winters grins a little before replying, "I don't think it will ever stop getting' me Ty. You ready to go?" "Ready as I'll ever be," says Brooks just as Sergeant Sadler's sharp voice cut through, "Cut the chatter children! We go in two!"

The Iris slowly slid its way open as Third Platoon stepped into semicircle formation and opened up, filling the gateroom with the cacophony of battle as bullets, grenades, and rockets poured into the wormhole. As suddenly as they began the fire broke off. Winters gulped down a breath as Sergeant Sadler said, "Ready everyone? Just like we practiced, let's do this!" With that Blue Squad charged up the ramp alongside SG-1 leading the way for Second Platoon screaming bloody murder, part to empty their lungs before going through the gate and part to silence their own fears. Winters instinctively tensed up as his body slammed into the event horizon. Heat and cold, nausea, vertigo, and an indescribable stretching sensation raced through his body as the Stargate's mechanisms converted matter into energy, shot it across space, and pulled him back together.

Terry Winters stumbled a brief second, blinking and drawing in breath, as the momentary fog of gate travel passed. Brooks materializing next to him shook his brain into action. Turning to the rest of his fire team he shouted, "Take up supporting positions!" Winters and his team charged over the side of the gate mount just as the rest of Blue Squad and SG-1 came through. He anxiously scanned the freshly-cratered embankments and broken Jaffa bodies when a sudden flash caught his eye. "Contact! Bogie at ten o'clock!" he shouted into his radio before taking aim and firing. Some of the Jaffa, in spite of all odds, managed to survive the preparatory barrage from Third Platoon and were filling the air with the distinctive deadly _zip zip_ of staff blasts. SG-1 and the rest of Blue Squad hit the deck and were taking up firing positions when Sadler and his team came through firing. The Sergeant flinched for just a moment, like any gate traveler would, and in that single instant caught a staff blast full in the chest. As Sadler's body slumped forward Winters shouted, "Come on! We have to secure the perimeter! Blue Squad on me!"

Winters charged forward with Brooks and the others close behind, firing from the hip and darting from one small piece of cover to the next. The air was thick with ozone and gunpowder as the soldiers of Blue Squad moved forward, SG-1 taking advantage of their movement to make for the nearest berm and flank the Jaffa. Winters and his men rushed forward, flanking and blasting the Jaffa line just as Red and Green Squads jumped through the gate guns blazing. More Jaffa came up over the lip of the valley just as the rest of First Platoon poured out and into position joining the melee.

For the next five minutes humans and Jaffa did their level best to destroy the other but the Gate Corps was made of far sterner stuff than Heru'ur's warriors expected. Jaffa staff line tactics, while optimal for the weapon's design, could not stand against the withering volume and variety of fire Bravo Company and Stargate Operations Group One brought to bear. Victory didn't come cheap but when the dust settled the SGC's personnel secured P4X-298's gate and were digging in. Next came the hard wait while the SG Teams, led by Col. O'Neil, moved out for the repair depot while Second Platoon fanned out in all directions watching for additional enemy troops.

"Man I hate this part," muttered Tyson Brooks as the troops of Blue Squad dug in. Acquisitions raids depended on swiftly securing the gate, using the unexpected violence that came with a forced entry as a distraction, and holding position until the SG Teams made it back through with the objective. "No matter how many times we ran through this," he continued, "it never got any better." Private Andy Garcia, an Army recruit from Ohio, grumbled, "And your griping about it never makes it go any faster Tyson. It's not like your belly-aching is going to speed up time." Just as Tyson was warming up for a comeback all their radios shrieked. "This is O'Neil we're coming in hot!" followed by an urgent, "This is Lt. Carson with Second Platoon we have contact and the SOG in sight. We're pulling back to the gate under heavy fire!" Winters turns to the rest of his squad and shouts, "Playtime's over, we got company!" as the gate hummed to life.

The rest of Bravo Company tensed up as a pair of Death Gliders roared overhead. Massive energy blasts thundered from the sky blowing apart trenches, foxholes, and men as the Gate Corps personnel dove for cover. As the Gliders soared past a fire team from Third Platoon brought missile launchers to bear, aimed, and fired. The Goa'uld aircraft tumbled out of the sky, training smoke and fire as they fell. O'Neil, the SG Teams, and Second Platoon came scrambling over the hill chased close behind by hissing staff blasts and screaming Jaffa warriors.

Bravo Company got to work as they had drilled into them by months of practice laying down covering fire, pulling back to the Gate while keeping the way clear. SG-1 halted just at the gate as the rest of the Operations Group and Bravo Company started jumping through. Winters and Blue Squad formed up behind the DHD keeping up the fire on the approaching Jaffa. For a few intense, seemingly endless, minutes Terry, Tyson, Sydney, and their squadmates kept up the fire as the number of Jaffa swelled.

Finally O'Neil's voice cut through the din, "You can stop being heroes now, it's time to go!" Winters nodded to his troops shouting, "You heard the man, pull out!" One by one they clambered up the steps and leapt through the event horizon coming crashing down on the Alpha site gateroom ramp moments later. As Terry coughed and gasped, catching his breath, SG-1 stepped on through just as the gate winked shut. A hand reached down to him as O'Neil helped the winded corporal to his feet. "Winters, right?" asks Jack. After nervously nodding in reply O'Neil looks him squarely in the eye saying, "You did a good job back there, thanks for keeping the door open for everyone." Terry wordlessly opened his mouth before stuttering, "Thank you sir!" Jack smiles and says, "Relax son. I think you'll do just fine."

"In the first few years following reorganization until full disclosure Stargate Command's operations continued at a rapid, unceasing pace. Some officers, like George Hammond, Jack O'Neil and Robert Makepeace, argued for a slower pace to give time for the newly-inducted SG Teams and the Gate Corps to be properly trained for the task ahead. These concerns were overridden by the fears of the IOC inspired by Apophis' assault on Earth. As the members of the IOC believed there was no time to waste and the Goa'uld could be returning at any moment. This haste, while understandable in the moment, was later discovered to be unfounded when further information on the state of the Goa'uld Empire was uncovered.

One key concession won by the IOC was the establishment of the Scientific Corps. Prior to the founding of this new branch within the SGC all scientists, regardless of field, were civilian contractors under the direct employ of the Pentagon. The now-international nature of Stargate Command coupled with the information sharing provisions guiding the organization's mandate meant such an arrangement was no longer workable. It may have been possible, as some like the disgraced Colonel Maybourne argued, to bring in other specialists attached to other governments but this was shot down by the IOC in interests of information transparency.

The Scientific Corps would resolve all these problems with a fairly simple solution. All academics attached to the Stargate Command would be considered directly under the jurisdiction of the IOC and for the purposes of military regulations be commissioned officers at the rank of Major much like medical doctors and chaplains. This created a much broader, more comprehensive body for research, development, and coordination whose presence would be a major influence on the IOC's decision-making.

One of the first examples of the influence of the Scientific Corps and the IOC was Operation HIGHLINE. As is well-known the SGC's mandate was, and still is, to acquire alien technology to aid in the defense of Earth and the human race. Many military officials argued, based on these grounds, the best targets for such operations involved the capture of weapons, starships, and other items with direct military applications. The Scientific Corps and other, more forward-thinking officers, pushed back pointing out that having captured enemy equipment did not guarantee such technology could be used sustainably in Earth's defense. HIGHLINE was one of many operations born out of these arguments. HIGHLINE's goal was to acquire the necessary parts, working examples, and specifications to build a computer capable of processing Goa'uld crystal-stored data. While far less flashy than later operations HIGHLINE's impact on the developing galactic war has been compared by some military historians to the work of the Bletchley Park cryptographers in breaking the Enigma Machine.

The humble goals of HIGHLINE and other acquisitions campaigns during these first few years were a critical proving ground for the SGC's personnel. The theory of gate-based operations had been explored during the program's first year by the SG Teams but operating in larger formations and close coordination were elements Command had not yet worked out. HIGHLINE and BROADWAY raids, though small in size and aimed at backwater Goa'uld outposts, were critical in working out and refining the doctrine of forcing a hostile gate and refining offworld operations. One major change over previous operations was the cessation of direct Earth-based operations into hostile territory. IOC reviews of prior SGC cases along with very sober-headed analysis of available data concluded exposing Terra itself to enemy attack or unknown contagions during any kind of operation was too great a risk to take. As a direct result of this conclusion SG Teams and Gate Corps units assigned to off-world operations would be transferred to the Alpha and Beta Sites for the duration of their tours of duty.

These years were also critical in establishing the unique espirit d'corps the SGC is famous for to this day. Gate assaults and evacuations, being focused on a small and easily constricted area, quickly became seen as highly risky operations with greater danger than anything seen since the amphibious campaigns of the Pacific War. Members of the Gate Corps and SG Teams quickly acquired a reputation for ferocious courage and tight bonds of camaraderie forged through heated, gate-based combat. Under the influence of leaders like Jack O'Neil it became an accepted truism that no one in Stargate Command ever left a fellow soldier behind, dead or alive, for any reason."

From Chapter 4: Cat and Mouse, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12

"Sen. Robert Kinsey (D-IN): General Hammond are you meaning to tell me that you feel this body has no right to question the operations of your top-secret section of the United States Space Forces?

Lt. Gen. George Hammond: As you are well aware Senator Kinsey the details of some of the operations of the Space Forces are heavily classified and cannot be discussed in an open hearing like this. I can assure you, however, there is no need for an audit or anything similar to the USSF's activities. What would be the point of such a top to bottom investigation when my branch has only just been established?

Sen. Kinsey: I don't like your attitude or your tone General. This committee and the United States Senate have the authority to investigate any matters it feels are worthy of attention. Civilian control of the military is essential to the freedom of our great Republic and I, for one, will not allow for it to be openly flouted.

Gen. Hammond: I can assure you, Senator, just as I did earlier during the classified briefing, there is nothing untoward happening at the Space Forces or in Cheyenne Mountain. These appropriations are kept classified for reasons of national and planetary security.

Sen. Ted Stevens, Subcommittee Chair (R-AK): Senator Kinsey do you have any further questions for General Hammond? I feel between his testimony here and earlier this morning he's more than answered your concerns.

Sen. Kinsey: With all due respect Mr. Chairman I feel the US Space Forces have something to hide and I will not rest until I get to the bottom of what they are up to! Secrecy like the Cheyenne Mountain operation cannot be tolerated in any kind of democratic society.

Sen. Stevens: Unless you have grounds for your concerns I'm going to have to ask you to move along. The chair recognizes the Senator from California.

Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA): Thank you Mr. Chairman. General Hammond Senator Kinsey has raised a lot of questions regarding the accountability and transparency of such a secretive program as the Orion Project. How do you believe this secrecy and Orion's work benefits American national security?

Gen. Hammond: I'm glad you asked me that Madame Senator. The work of the Orion Project has made major steps forward, through analyzing crash debris and other finds, in understanding the nature of our enemy the Goa'uld. Currently much of the work we are doing is highly sensitive but I can promise it is already bearing fruit. The destruction of Apophis' attack fleet is one of many examples of the good work the people at Orion are doing."

C-SPAN transcript from the Senate Subcommittee on Defense Appropriation, February 8th, 999 M11

"After the pain, chaos, and upheaval of First Contact subsided Earth was now confronted with a much larger question: what do we do now? The discovery of an alien species, in particular one with hostile intent for humanity, was a major shock to everyone's systems. Humanity on Earth, for centuries before, had divided itself based on affiliations like religion, philosophy, nationalism, and political creeds that served to divide the species in a time when it was clear to many that only in our common humanity was survival possible. The general reactions people had in this vein could be grouped into one of three major tendencies: the Occidentalists, the Redemptionists, and the Globalists. These Contact ideologies played a key role in the developing consciousness of humanity on Earth and later off-world.

The Occidentalists were, in the immediate aftermath of Contact, the most influential in the halls of power of the Allied nations. Their argument was one that traced its roots to Francis Fukuyama's famous 992 M11 book _The End of History and the Last Man_. The Occidentalist tendency argued that it was to humanity's benefit First Contact happened in the time it did when the great question of socio-political organization had been finally answered. The clear superiority of Western liberalism, based on representative government, protection of political rights, nationalism, and late stage capitalism, was the way forward for the entire world.  
How this was going to be achieved varied from group to group and nation to nation. Some, particularly those active in the developing European Union, favored the peaceful integration and slow change to bring about the necessary transformation of human social organization to make a truly united front possible. Others, represented by groups like the Project for the New American Century and individuals like Richard Cheney and Robert Kinsey, believed that circumstances required far more forceful action on the part of the liberal democracies to bring about history's end. They feared any delay in forcing the truth into effect would greatly endanger humanity's future and the survival of Earth.

The third group often associated by scholars with the Occidentalist tendency though the rest of this movement soundly rejected them in public were the White Nationalists. They argued the clear superiority of "white" nations had been vindicated by victory over the aliens and all other inferior races had to be subordinated to or, according to the more radical segments of this odious movement, wiped out completely. White Nationalist terrorism would rise in the years following First Contact with the notorious Biloxi and Frankfurt Massacres as two cases of their more infamous acts. The White Nationalist use of Occidentalist rhetoric and language cast something of a bad odor on the broader movement that it never fully managed to shake off in spite of the clear, vigorous denunciations of these fringe groups by more respectable voices in government.

The second major tendency were the Redemptionists. Seen by many as more extreme than the most hardline Occidentalist the Redemptionists drew the bulk of their support from religious extremists from around the world with the vast majority of their followers coming from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The Redemptionists claimed the arrival of Apophis was a test from God and a sign of his displeasure with the state of humanity. They argued Apophis' defeat was thanks to direct heavenly intervention because God still believed that humanity could be redeemed of its sins. The Redemptionists argued for an establishment of a worldwide theocratic state to bring the human race into accord with God's Will. Only by procuring divine favor, they claimed, was it possible to defend Earth from the danger posed by the Goa'uld who, in most Redemptionist propaganda, were seen as a race of demons.

In spite of the seeming superficial unity of purpose the Redemptionists were a hopelessly fractured movement. All could agree that Apophis' attack was a sign from God but which religion had it right was a major bone of contention. Christian Redemptionists, particularly American evangelicals like Pat Robertson and Franklin Graham, claimed the arrival of Apophis was the first sign of the Second Coming of Christ. Islamic Redemptionists were hopelessly divided in vision and purpose between the Salafi movement, the highly influential Wahhabi preachers of Saudi Arabia, and the age-old division between Sunni and Shi'a. Jewish Redemptionists were bitterly divided over the question of Zionism. Some argued the founding of the State of Israel and securing of the provinces of Judea and Samaria was vital to paving the way for God's return of favor to his Chosen People. Others claimed that the State of Israel was why God sent Apophis to Earth in the first place, arguing Eretz Yisrael could only be granted by God and not the works of man. While most Redemptionists focused on evangelism there were many, as was the case many times in Earth's history, where holy fervor and righteousness would lead to bloodshed. Organizations like the Lord's Liberation Army, al-Dawla al-Islamiyya, and the Sons of Zion killed many in bloody terrorist attacks against the unbelievers or those seen as having strayed too far from the path.

The third major tendency were the Globalists. This group emerged from among post-colonial intellectuals and participants in the growing global justice movement. The Globalists, unlike the Redemptionists and the Occidentalists, took a more permissive attitude towards human culture and viewed the moment of destiny in a different light. As they saw it the arrival of Apophis was an act of chance, nothing more. Thinkers like Rebecca Solnit and Joseph Stiglitz argued adherence to any one, specific ideology or creed was not the answer. They claimed humanity had reached its current point of advance and sophistication thanks to the great diversity of Earth's populations and history. The Globalist argument essentially claimed that greater international structures were needed to better resolve the differences between Earth's nations standing in the way of a united front. Only through respecting the pluralism of Earth, the Globalists claimed, could humanity move forward.

The Globalists were, like the other major Contact tendencies, not without their own radical elements. Ranging from ecological radicals like the Earth Liberation Front and Earth First! to revolutionary organizations like the Industrial Workers of the World and the International Socialist Organization these more radical Globalist groups attracted as much, in some cases more, attention from the authorities than those affiliated with the Redemptionists and Occidentalists. Many have argued this was symptomatic of the short-sightedness of policy makers of the time but, given the stridently anti-capitalist tone of such groups in a strongly capitalist world, it is understandable why they would attract so much direct attention. The fact that the Globalist radicals were largely non-violent and most cases of Globalist extremism targeted property for destruction as opposed to causing harm to people was largely ignored in favor of their rhetoric and positions, a decision which in hindsight draws considerable condemnation from modern students of history especially in light of the proven violent acts of Redemptionist and Occidentalist extremists."

From Chapter 2: The Cosmic Renaissance, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

"The initial push in favor of tighter regional trade blocs throughout the world following the Contact Crash had come at the perfect time. New developments in communication technology like fax machines, mobile phones, and the Internet had greatly improved the speed and bandwidth of data that could be moved worldwide. First Contact's cultural impacts in the form of new, rising global movements further laid the groundwork for the establishment of stronger trade organizations.

The already formidable European Union saw a greatly increased speed of adoption of the Euro. Prior to the arrival of Apophis there was great resistance by countries like Britain and Sweden to adopting the new currency. The Contact Crash and recovery saw a major shift in public opinion in these holdouts and by 999 M11's end all moved to adopt the new currency. Over time these countries steadily phased out their old currencies with the Swedish Kroner completely replaced by 2 M12 and the British Pound removed from the market entirely in 4 M12 in favor of the Euro. In 1000 M11 all of the member-nations of the EU announced the Davos Treaty establishing a framework for standardizing all work, safety, environmental, and economic regulations throughout the Union. The number of countries seeking admission into the union swelled when much of the former Eastern Bloc nations like Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Baltic States joined up by 3 M12 followed by Norway and Switzerland a year later.

Across the Atlantic the 999 M11 Bogota Conference bore fruit with the signing of the Treaty of Bogota a year later. This agreement formally merged the two main trade blocs in South America, the Andean Community and Mercosur, into a single bloc known as the Union of South American Nations. The newly-formed UNASUR established their headquarters in Qito, Ecuador with a continental parliament in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The provisional structure of UNASUR elected the Secretary-General of the organization from amongst the current or former heads of state of South America determined by the consensus of the current heads of state to be replaced by a firmer, more established structure. The first major work of UNASUR was establishing a single, unified set of border controls to ease the movement of people, goods, and capital across the continent. This took years of hard, grueling work that came to fruition with the epochal Caracas Accords of 2 M12 based on the principles of the EU Schengen Agreement.

In 3 M12 the UNASUR Parliament, elected by the legislatures of each participating country with two delegates given to each member-nation, was seated for the first time replacing the old provisional arrangement. From 3 M12 on the Parliament would elect the Secretary-General and their cabinet from among all eligible UNASUR member-nation citizens. This new structure was seen as a move towards legitimacy and accountability and as their first order of business the UNASUR Parliament passed legislation laying out a plan for the introduction of a continental currency, the Nuevo Peso, in 6 M12 to be regulated by the South American Central Bank.

Africa followed a similar path towards economic integration as Europe and South America. In 1 M12 at the Addis-Ababa summit members of the Organization for African Unity announced the dissolution of the OAU and its replacement by the African Union. This new organization's objectives were to heal the damage done to Africa and its peoples by colonialism. One of their first objectives was the establishment of an all-union currency similar to the Euro, known as the Afro, by 11M12 along with agreements guaranteeing freedom of movement.

In stark contrast to all of these growing trans-national blocs were the trade federations like the North American Free Trade Agreement established in 994 M11, the East Asian Free Trade Agreement founded in 1 M12, the renewed Commonwealth of Independent States, and the growing push by the Arab League for greater economic integration. Unlike the AU, the EU, and UNASUR these blocs were far more decentralized with their focus on relaxing trade barriers and promoting the free movement of goods. During the immediate post-Contact years there was no talk of adopting trans-national currencies, banks, or other institutions for increasing the harmony and accord between nations in terms of regulatory structures. Where UNASUR and the EU were pushing for highly ambitious plans of standardized, highly humane regulatory regimes NAFTA, EAFTA, the CIS, and the Arab League were engaging in an aggressive race to the bottom. The results of each were rather stark with the more neo-liberal trade agreements seeing declining standards of living alongside swelling profit margins & roaring stock markets while the EU and UNASUR saw less frantic but more equitably distributed economic growth.

Regardless of the particular philosophies driving these developments the aggregate result was critical in Terran history. The reduced trade and movement barriers, eased passport requirements, and increasing monetary and economic stability brought more people into direct contact with each other than ever before. A new global economy was developing that was increasingly global, integrated, and interdependent and these trade systems were critical in its foundations."

From Chapter 2: Building the New Global Economy, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"The explosion of Internet access and cyberspace worldwide was thanks to a number of critical technological developments in the early years of the twelfth millennium. The patents held by Stargate Command, known as the Orion Patents, made a number of critical technological developments possible that previously were largely theoretical. New developments in computer technology saw its greatest leap since the integrated circuit. The Orion Patents were a system of patents for discoveries coming from the international Orion Project, the official cover for Stargate Command.

The use of Orion Patents was only permissible through direct, very stringent licensing agreements between the prospective end user and the Orion Project. High levels of security clearance were required prior to entering into Orion negotiations giving the IOC a degree of control over the release of alien-sourced technologies. Although this was not always perfect with later problems with attempted infiltration of Orion by corporate and certain political interests it proved to be highly useful for the IOC and the SGC. The funding received through these agreements was certainly appreciated by all involved and was used to sponsor further research and testing planetside.

One of the first key developments piggy-backed off of Goa'uld technology was the invention of the first room temperature superconductors in 1 M12. Prior to this major development superconducters had to be cooled to very low temperatures to work, greatly limiting their usage in the market and general public. Using recovered Goa'uld computers and staff weapons Terran scientists working at sites like Area 51, Portown Downs, the Kossa Complex, Hashima Island, and Research Station Prometheus unraveled this and other mysteries before passing them on to the general public through the Orion Patents system.

These new superconductors saw a huge number of industrial applications worldwide. One of the most critical was in transportation. In rail the far cheaper superconductors made maglev lines more than just an expensive concept. The first major maglev systems in the world would go into action in Japan and South Korea in 3 and 4 M12 respectively. In the world of personal transport the superconductor made cheap, highly efficient electrical vehicles far more popular as shown by the runaway successes of classic models like the 3 M12 Honda Electron and the 4 M12 Ford Lightning. This was made possible by a combination of the increased efficiency offered and the denser batteries made possible by superconducting materials. These developments laid the foundation for later research into more effective hover technology though the more famous discoveries common today were still years off.

Computer technology in particular would explode forward in terms of capacity, efficiency, and miniaturization. Though not in ways many would have expected. Duplicating the photon-based Goa'uld systems capable of interfacing with the crystals proved to be costly and difficult though in the end the core concepts would prove useful. As Dr. Rodney McKay famously quipped, "Just because it looks all nice and shiny doesn't mean it's a good design!" The photon computers, thanks to the added energy cost of so much light usage, were less power efficient than directly using the superconductors they ran on for energy and data transmission.

Yet even for the inefficiency of Goa'uld design the control circuits used in Goa'uld photonic systems were invaluable for researchers in developing solid state memory systems. Already in its infancy in this period these discoveries dramatically reduced the cost of production and the density of solid state drives pushing digital memory capacity forward at rates that completely blew away the long-standing prediction of More's Law. The best example of the results of these discoveries was Seagate's 3 M12 500 GB solid state drive that was the side of a human thumb.

Mobile technology also benefited as the release of the iPhone by Apple in 1 M12 and the greatly improved iPhone 4 in 4 M12 demonstrate. More compact memory coupled with highly efficient systems resulted in high-powered technology with enormous processing capacity. Cellular networks and internet, thanks to the greatly reduced cost compared to traditional land-lines, exploded with 80% of the world's population plugged in by 3 M12. These technological revolutions made communication, information sharing, and process far easier than at any other point in history bringing people together on a global basis in a truly unprecedented fashion."

From Chapter Two: Superconducters and Solid State Drives, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12 

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _I know you all feel the same way about non-transparency and secrecy from our government and elected officials. What do you all think about the Orion Project and all the patents they're sitting on? What do you think they have to hide?"_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _Some of the stuff that's coming out from Orion is simply amazing and holds incredible promise for making people's lives better. What computers can do now is making the stuff from the 90s look like a bunch of oversized paperweights with screens and the other stuff like the maglev project in Japan is simply amazing._

 _However in spite of all that I have to wonder why this needs to be handled like some CIA black ops project. Selling this stuff to powerful corporations can't be good for people and who knows what they're holding back? It feels like something that's waiting to be abused to maintain the power of the corporate elite. With NAFTA and the EU they've got more global influence than ever and some of these technologies could be used to fatten their profit margins instead of helping people._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Eco-Warrior**

 _I don't care what new toys Orion is coming out with. All this tech is no good for anyone and is killing the planet!_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **ZapatistaFangirl**

 _Come on we can't exactly go back to the stone age when we've got alien imperialists hanging over our heads. We can't exactly out-macho and tree spike space parasites into leaving the planet alone Eco-Warrior._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **LiveFreeorDie**

 _How do we know the government isn't already secretly on their side? Maybe that's why they're handing out all that technology like candy so they can better control us and further their alien overlords!_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _If they're doing that then why did the Guld send two ships to attack us in '98?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **DemBones**

 _Yeah that makes no sense LiveFreeorDie. It's not like everything is being secretly run by space lizards. Still I do have to worry about all the secrecy surrounding the project and the sweet deals companies like Microsoft are getting from Orion._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _There's nothing to worry about as long as proper transparency and above board bidding is going on. I don't mind the companies most able to afford such projects getting ahead, that's just how the marketplace works. The problem is that Orion all happens behind closed doors when it should be open and public._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _They should be releasing this stuff to the public like when Salk refused to patent his polio vaccine. If this stuff is supposed to be for the benefit of all the people then it should be released to the people free of charge._

From General Discussion Forum Thread "What are your thoughts on the Orion Project?" dated January 8th, 2 M12

"The rise of the pan-national Occidentalist, Redemptionist, and Globalist movements in the years immediately following First Contact is, even with the enormous differences between life at the dawn of the twelfth millennium, almost inexplicable to modern readers. How, many have asked, was it possible for several movements running contrary to the vast majority of Earth's history of regional strife, nationalism, and sectarian struggles to smooth over these divides so easily. What students often miss, likely thanks to spending so much time covering the strife and bloodshed of pre-Contact Earth history, is the enormous material changes taking place during this period.

The growth of continental trade blocs like NAFTA, the EU, the AU, UNASUR, the Arab League, the CIS, and EAFTA with the rise of their associated monetary unions greatly eased the movement of people and goods, bringing communities in contact with one another as businesspeople, workers, and products moved more freely and quickly than ever. Superprojects like the Europe Maglev Network, begun in 6 M12, and investment in airports, roads, and rail lines in other continents made travel faster, cheaper, and easier than ever before. This was made even smoother by the exponential spread of Internet access as cellular technology, smartphones, and more powerful computers built a global, fully-interactive form of mass media that remains the foundation of communications technologies to this day. These major changes eased barriers to the sharing of ideas, goods, and personal experiences.

It further cannot be understated how critical the collective experience of First Contact was. As many other scholars have argued the shared trauma of Contact and the immediate aftermath was an experience that touched the lives of every single person alive on Earth. The digital revolution in communications technology meant, in the years following, it was far easier for people to share and discuss this mutual experience lending further resilience to this common cultural touchstone. All of this was critical in laying the foundation for the three proto-Terranist movements that defined political, social, and cultural life in the Contact Period.  
This is not to say the proto-Terranists of the Contact years did not meet serious resistance. Nationalism and sectarianism were rife with conflicts inspired by them a constant problem. Earlier in the year of Contact US military forces under President Clinton would bomb locations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sudan and see three major embassies in Africa demolished by religious terrorist attacks. Four years earlier Rwanda was the site of a truly brutal example of ethnic cleansing. In the cities of Europe and the Americas demonstrations from all sides of the political spectrum rallied against the growing free trade movements, fearing the impact of multinational corporate influence would have on public life. Anti-immigration rallies, some turning violent, throughout the world were quite common with many fearing the loss of employment due to the arrival of new migrants. Some especially notorious examples of such xenophobic groups were the United Kingdom Independence Party, the American White Worker's Party, Pravi Yor, and the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging.

These instances of opposition, some violent, to the growing globalized world were countered by the growth of proto-Terranist movements and other critical events in world history. Two, both taking place in 999 M11, were especially important in the forging of strong worldwide bonds. The first took place in Europe in the Balkans region only a few months before the second followed up on the American West Coast.

In the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ethnic tensions between the Kosovoar Albanians and the dominant Serb majority were rising. Beginning in 995 M11 members of the Kosovo Liberation Army began a series of attacks, sabotage, and other operations against Yugoslav personnel. Federal forces retaliated and Serb paramilitaries grew leading to an escalating cycle of violence in the region. In 998 M11 tensions reached the boiling point thanks to these pre-existing problems and First Contact brought everything to head. Where other parts of the world were gripped in street violence and in some cases, like Egypt, revolution Kosovo would explode into war. Under the shadow of Apophis the KLA launched a full-scale attack on Serbian paramilitaries in Kosovo leading immediately to a declaration of martial law by the government in Belgrade.

The escalating violence would trigger a strong regional response. In the summer of 998 M11 the European Union sent a joint delegation to Belgrade in an attempt to negotiate an immediate cease-fire. When this failed to achieve results EU authorities called a summit of the British, French, German, Italian, Swedish, and Spanish governments discussing what options they had. In the fall of 998 the EU bloc petitioned the UN Security Council to approve a humanitarian military action only to be vetoed by the Russian representative. The EU, working in conjunction with the United States, seeing all other international avenues had been exhausted prepared to act on their own. In April 999 M11 the newly-organized EU Force and US European Command launched the first of many airstrikes against Yugoslav forces. After two months of aerial bombardment US and EU ground forces moved in swiftly to push out the remaining Yugoslav forces, occupy Kosovo, and force a cease-fire to the conflict.

The next year in Seattle, USA fierce demonstrations at the WTO Summit would be the spark for a much larger, globally cohesive movement. Activists from every continent arrived and succeeded in shutting down the conference, a major first for the global justice movement. The young Globalist tendency in the proto-Terranists really came together as a result of the WTO demonstrations, demonstrating great cohesion, shared values, and a strong uniting sense of purpose. The discovery of life on other planets lent further urgency to their work convincing many it was vital for the sake of humanity that the resources of the world be distributed in the most equitable fashion possible. The Seattle WTO demonstrations, dubbed by some commentators the Battle of Seattle for the now-infamous actions of the Seattle Police Department, would spark off a wave of anti-corporate activism the world over. People speaking dozens of different languages from numerous walks of life were all coming together for a shared purpose, creating a populist discourse for pan-human unity."

From Chapter 1: First Contact, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

William Kristol, Co-founder of the Project for a New American Century: Thank you for that illuminating briefing on the status of our research efforts Don. Now we move on to what Bob has to say about what's really going on with the Orion Project.

Robert Kinsey, Democratic Senator for Indiana: Thank you Bill. Orion, as you are all aware, officially is a program dedicated to uncovering alien technology from crash sites and digs all around the world. This is a cover for the real work the Orion Project is up to and the danger they have placed our great nation, and our planet, in.

Robert Kagan, Director of the Project for a New American Century: You are referring to this Stargate device.

Kinsey: That's correct Robert. The Stargate makes near-instantaneous interplanetary travel possible. Through this the people at Stargate Command have been exploring new worlds, making contact with offworld human populations, and acquiring alien technology. This alien device has incredible potential that I believe the idealists at the SGC are wasting.

Prof. Paul Wolfowitz, School for Advanced International Studies: How do you mean?

Kinsey: The fools at Stargate Command place maintaining diplomatic relations with primitive offworld human societies and dangerous aliens ahead of taking whatever it is we need to better defeat the Goa'uld threat. On more than one occasion they have placed the welfare of offworlders ahead of our planet's defense and our national interest. Furthermore their priorities are misguided, placing acquiring technological curiosities ahead of obtaining new weapons and defenses. I am afraid if nothing is done about this the SGC will leave us exposed to alien invasion and conquest.

Donald Rumsfeld, Chairman of Gilead Sciences: Is there anything you can do about this Bob?

Kinsey: Not at the moment Don. The rest of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee is quite happy with the Orion arrangement, confident the SGC is doing their job thanks to all these developments. The President, furthermore, is just too popular for us to do anything about him.  
Richard Cheney, Chairman and CEO of Halliburton: It sounds like we'll need to take matters into our own hands. I know some people in the Pentagon from my time as Defense Secretary who would be friendlier to our objectives. We need to get some of our people inside the SGC and do whatever we can to get our own people in charge.

Kinsey: Hammond and the SGC are too popular for anyone to move against him that directly.

Cheney: Then we take matters into our own hands, one way or the other. We cannot accept any obstacles or make any compromises in the defense of our planet.

Taken from the transcript for the September 11, 1 M12 New York Summit of the Project for a New American Century, unsealed in 29 M12

"Along with the highly celebrated quest for alien technology one of the main missions assigned to the SGC was establishing diplomatic contact with potential allies in the struggle against the Goa'uld. The first real contact made with resisting elements was through the unexpected and fortuitous defection of the famous Teal'c of the Jaffa. Teal'c, motivated by his discovery of the true nature of the Goa'uld through his long service as Apophis' First Prime, became the latest of the long, often poorly understood, tradition in Jaffa society of the shol'vah. To better understand Teal'c of Chulak and what he faced we must first understand this phenomenon.

Shol'vah is a Goa'uld word commonly translated as, "traitor". On the surface this is true but the word has a far deeper meaning to it with connotations of damnation. Some linguists, following the example of Dr. Jackson, render it more poetically as, "the forsaken one." These meanings are profoundly critical for understanding the classical Goa'uld mentality regarding their Jaffa janissaries. Jaffa changing their allegiances or abandoning one master for another was not unheard of in Goa'uld society. If anything it seems to have been encouraged with the Jaffa who belong to a defeated or slain Goa'uld regularly being offered the opportunity to swear their allegiance to the victor. The children of exiles, a common punishment for the families of Jaffa officers who failed the Goa'uld in some way or another, were especially known for their ferocious dedication to their lords. Jaffa were as much a resource as they were soldiers and Goa'uld warfare reflected this as seen in their regular practices of capturing enemy vessels and subduing rather than slaughtering the Jaffa and slaves of their enemies. For Jaffa to change masters was not unheard of and played a key role in the Goa'uld's control of their soldiers, giving them a safety valve for dissent.

What was utterly unacceptable in this world was to reject the Goa'uld completely. A Jaffa who swore to a new master was, while still on shaky ground, ultimately a warrior who was in a position of needing to prove their honor and trustworthiness. Condoned defectors made excellent soldiers in part because of this. Shol'vah like Teal'c and Bra'tac were a completely different matter. By turning their backs on the Goa'uld completely they had proven they could not be trusted by any Goa'uld, a condition comparable to the mid 11th millennium legal term _hostis humanii generis_. Shol'vah suffered far worse punishments than failures or those who displeased their masters who died, often painfully, and saw their families exiled from their world. Shol'vah were tortured slowly and publicly at the temples of the Goa'uld with all Jaffa called to watch. Their families would be forced to watch before being banished to the outskirts of the temple cities. Unlike the exiled Jaffa the families of the shol'vah were not permitted to ever leave their now barely tolerable homes and forced to live lives of scorn, ridicule, and worst of all losing the right to implant a symbiont in their children upon coming of age condemning them to death. The fate of a shol'vah and their survivors was a brutal example that Teal'c and other participants in the Free Jaffa movement would have been well aware of.

Yet in spite of all this there is evidence the Jaffa Revolution was not the first Jaffa uprising in galactic history. Bra'tac of the Jaffa, Teal'c master, had come to a similar conclusion long before and originally argued the best any Jaffa could do is steer their masters away from excessive cruelty or truly foolish actions. This concept of a loyal opposition was a well-rooted yet dangerous tradition among the Jaffa and gave rise to a number of rebellions throughout history inspired by Goa'uld actions. The rise of the Hak'tyl Moloc, led by Ishta years before Teal'c's defection, has similar parallels throughout Goa'uld records with the term hak'tyl, translated as liberation, used by other instances of revolts in Goa'uld history. Probably the most radical example of anti-Goa'uld resistance were independent freebooting groups like the Sodan who bore the mark of no master and survived by raiding Goa'uld holdings for new symbionts.

The main difference between these earlier attempts and Teal'c's revolt was the presence of an outside force, Earth, that could provide them support and shelter. It was thanks to the offworld sites, efforts by the SGC to establish further contact and alliances, and the steady melding of all the different movements and dissenting currents into a single force that the Jaffa Revolution would come to pass. Yet in these early years it was still very much in its infancy. The resources Earth could offer were quite limited and the Jaffa rebels too widely separated by distance, lack of information, and the legacies of wars and feuds waged by the Goa'uld. Even still these early contacts would prove critical in sowing the seeds of broader revolt and aspiring revolutionaries learned much of more effective tactics in fighting their masters from service in the SGC's SG Teams. Within three years of his defection the framework of the rebel network was coming together and dozens of veteran Jaffa were serving under arms with the SGC.

The first steps with the Jaffa were not the only ones. First contact was made with another anti-Goa'uld movement, this one consisting of symbionts who were opposed to the Socially Darwinian philosophy dominant in the empire. Facilitated by Samantha Carter and her father and later host Jacob Carter first contact with the Tok'ra was a pivotal moment in galactic history. The Tok'ra consisted of a group of Goa'uld symbionts descended from the Goa'uld Queen Egeria. The Tok'ra advocated true symbiosis over domination with the hosts, eschewed the use of sarcophagi, and argued the Goa'uld should use their gifts for the betterment of lesser races. For espousing these views Egeria was imprisoned by Ra and the Tok'ra banished from the Empire. In the following centuries the Tok'ra slowly grew, steadily infiltrated the Goa'uld Empire, and plotted its downfall. This three millennia long struggle was a difficult one with enormous obstacles arrayed against those who stood against Ra.

Contact with Earth gave them a useful ally in launching more militaristic operations than the Tok'ra were capable of sustaining. Most critically the people of Terra offered the Tok'ra something that was in very short supply for them: viable hosts. The nature of their movement made it difficult to acquire hosts and the Tok'ra requirement that all be willing prevented them from using tactics like the Goa'uld of raiding worlds for prospective hosts. These voluntary hosts were, at first, older members of the Allied military establishments, critical researchers, and others who were suffering from terminal diseases or debilitating medical conditions. These volunteers became part of the Tok'ra's struggle providing an invaluable link between the Tok'ra and humanity. The Tok'ra, in turn, provided intelligence and technical assistance that would prove to be invaluable in the early years. It was thanks to the Tok'ra that early raids for technology would soon bear fruit through increasing precision and efficacy.

In comparison with these other contacts by far the most critical was with the Asgard. A powerful, highly advanced race of extragalactic beings who had watched humanity for much of its history first contact was made, indirectly, on the world of Cimmeria by SG-1. This contact was later followed up by more direct contact by Jack O'Neil following his exposure to an Ancient archive paving the way for one of the most critical relationships in galactic history. Initially the Asgard, due to other commitments in their home galaxy, were limited in their interactions with the SGC but even these interactions would bear fruit when the Asgard High Council opened negotiations with the Goa'uld to add Earth to the Protected Planets Treaty.

To support these and other operations the SGC engaged in a massive effort for increasing offworld capacity. The Alpha Site, previously established as a fallback outpost in the event of invasion, was expanded and transformed into a major military base for launching Stargate Command operations into uncharted and hostile space. The Beta Site was founded shortly in 999 M11 after the Apophis attack as a second base for operations for the SGC. These bases housed barracks, armories, and basic scientific facilities used to screen all discoveries before passing them on to planetside research facilities or Prometheus. Delta Site, better known as Nova Terra today, was established in the same year as the new refuge world with an engineer detachment dispatched to prepare infrastructure for hosting large numbers of human beings in relative comfort and the necessary defenses. Gamma Site was founded shortly after to serve as the new training center, taking advantage of the uninhabited and highly varied climates and terrain found at Gamma Site.

The most secretive of all is the famous Omega Site, the home of Research Station Prometheus. While these other offworld sites, eventually expanded to a massive network of twenty-five bases and a number of refuge worlds, are all known to the general public the coordinates and gate address of Omega Site are still a closely guarded secret. It is rumored some of the most critical advances in scientific research in post-Contact history were made in this secret installation. It is also claimed, and implied from the memoirs of Rodney McKay, Samantha Carter, and others who worked at Omega Site, some of the most dangerous experiments ever conceived of were conducted there. At Prometheus the best and brightest minds humanity had to offer worked frantically to unravel the mysteries of the universe knowing their work would be the difference between victory and defeat. These offworld sites played a pivotal role in the Terran struggle against the Goa'uld and in laying the foundation for humanity's leap into the stars."

From Chapter Three: The Search for Offworld Allies, _A Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12


	3. Chapter 3: Growing Pains

**Chapter 3: Growing Pains**

Ahmed ibn Bana's eyes popped open to a harsh, insistent clanging sound in his small room in Cairo. Groaning, he rolled over slapping the discordant clatter of a cheap, mechanical alarm clock into silence as he got up, stretched out, and shook himself awake. Like most college students the world over Ahmed was no fan of being up in the morning for any reason. He was a late riser before the April 15th Revolution overthrew the Mubarak regime and even with the new Muslim Brotherhood government in power that was unlikely to change. Slapping himself awake, Ahmed grabbed his small bathing kit and took his place in line.

The new dorm building Ahmed lived in was a recent addition to the fringes of Cairo's Mansheit Nasser megaslum, a swath of human poverty larger and more populous than Los Angeles. Compared to the makeshift, falling down structures that came before the new dorm complex had gone up the Salam al-Nas building was a huge improvement. Gone, at least in this part of the long-impoverished district, was the old makeshift shacks with jerry-rigged plumbing and electricity installed by a cash-strapped municipal government doing its best to bring the conveniences of modern life to every Egyptian. In its place stood a modern, if Spartan, building for housing the growing Al-Azhar University student body boasting modern insulation, new plumbing and wiring, and a tub on every floor. It wasn't exactly luxurious but compared to what came before it was the closest to Paradise any boy raised in Cairo's sprawling slums could hope to see in their lifetimes.

Ahead of him in line stood his neighbor Jamal. He turns back, cracks a smile, and says, "Ah look who has joined us in the land of the living! Are you ready for Professor al-Kouri's test on spatial geometry?" Ahmed winces a little before responding, "Why do you think I was up so late last night? It's not like I'm a political junkie like you, always watching for the latest on Mahrosa Cairo when most intelligent people are already asleep." Jamal rolls his eyes, retorting, "And the future of our country isn't important to you? President al-Din is doing great things for Egypt like making sure you can go to school for advanced mathematics."

Ahmed had nothing to say to that. Ever since the fall of the military-dominated regime of Mubarak, "the Last Pharaoh" as people were calling him in the streets now, and Muhammad al-Din's dark horse victory in the national elections following the Pharaoh's removal life for ordinary Egyptians was steadily getting better. To be sure Egypt still had many problems as the considerable stretches of dilapidated buildings making up the majority of Mansheit Nasser attested to. In spite of that there was a tangible feeling of genuine progress and improvement. Following his successful house-cleaning of the upper ranks of the military al-Din broke their economic domination and drastically slashed the Army's bloated budget, freeing up funds to invest in the previously cash-starved regional and municipal governments of Egypt.

After waiting for what seemed like forever Ahmed's turn to bathe had come. Slipping in to the small bathroom Ahmed set down his bathing kit, laid out his clothes, and turned on the tap. Even though he'd been living in Salam al-Nas for a year he was still getting used to having in-home running water. After spending most of his life in Cairo's slums where the only options for keeping clean involved buckets, time, and standing in line for hours at public taps having hot and cold at his fingertips was a life-changing luxury. Ahmed filled the tub with clean, cold water before slowly easing himself in, relishing the gentle embrace of his morning soak.

Sighing, he settled in enjoying every second of his bath knowing he didn't have long before he had to hop out and catch the autobus to campus.  
After a brief five minutes Ahmed got out, dried himself off, and got dressed for class. Hopping on the bus for university he pulled out his notes. Professor al-Kouri was well-known for being a very tough teacher. He never passed up an opportunity to remind his students, "Allah gave you minds so that you would use them! We are in a new world now and the only way to beat the idolatrous aliens threatening Earth is to push the boundaries of human knowledge." Al-Kouri was not alone among the faculty or the students arguing this. Ever since the Brotherhood took power and held their first elections the official line of President al-Din's government was that all Egyptians had a part to play in unraveling Allah's design. Unlike some of his more idealistic classmates Ahmed was less interested in the grand destiny of the people of Egypt than he was in getting his degree, finding a job that got him out of the slums, and making a better life for himself.

The autobus steadily chugged through the streets, winding its way through the densely packed alleys and thoroughfares of downtown Cairo. More than once the bus came to a stop waiting for bicycles, livestock, and other cars to make their way through the labyrinthine maze of the city. On the way Ahmed plowed through his notes, feverishly doing all he could to commit the arcane concepts of spatial geometry to memory for his midterm. He needed to earn top marks on this test if he was going to get into Al-Azhar's graduate program in theoretical mathematics. So far he had been doing well in class but was always worried he wouldn't measure up, pushing the slum-raised orphan to do the best he possibly could. After a ride that seemed to last a lifetime the autobus came to a halt at Al-Azhar, letting him and the other students out. For a boy raised in Mansheit Nasser who had spent many a night sleeping amongst the graves of the City of the Dead the grandeur of the university and the promise it offered for him and many other Egyptians was never lost on him. He rushed off to class, hoping his hard work would pay off.

"New developments in computer and superconductor technology brought with it an unexpected and dramatic transformation in the world of manufacturing. To many living in the modern day this may come off as a bit surprising considering how ubiquitous 3-D printing is in all aspects of life. Yet at the dawn of M12 this technology was in its infancy. Most examples and uses of 3-D printing in this time were restricted to a handful of engineering firms for producing concept models. This is understandable as at this time the only compounds a 3-D printer could really work with were polymer based, not strong enough for use in heavy machinery or other industrial applications, and the printers themselves were very expensive. On top of these problems was the very slow speed that 3-D printers transformed polymers into physical objects, taking hours at a time for individual models. It was simply not possible to use them for any kind of manufacturing at scale as the costs and benefits in spite of the massive labor reductions the addition-based method of production offered.

More powerful computers coupled with more efficient power transmission changed all of this. Overnight 3-D printers went from being a curiosity to a new avenue for production. Better computer technology made it possible for 3-D printers, once hampered by the painstaking detail involved in the process of addition-based production, could now move at lightning speeds reducing production time from hours to minutes. Superconductors, along with new technologies designed to mitigate the negative effects of high energy transmission, made it possible for tremendous amounts of power to be channeled safely through the printers making the production of metallic objects and a far greater variety of materials possible. The result was a simple device capable of producing the component parts for anything from laptops to Learjets. Compared to older, industrial methods of material reduction-based production that depended on massive arrays of specialized machinery and skilled workers the 3-D printer greatly reduced the space, cost, and necessary labor to set up a functioning manufacturing plant.

This did not come without consequences. Late stage capitalism, based heavily on industrial capitalism, depended heavily on having large labor forces to produce goods, provide services, and purchase them. The constant flow of capital created by all of this commercial activity was critical for keeping the economic wheels of the world spinning. 3-D printing, for all its efficiencies and versatility, was a direct challenge to this existing world order underappreciated by many. Even though 3-D printing was only responsible for 20% of all manufacturing worldwide by 7 M12 much of this production was concentrated in wealthier, more industrially developed nations like the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union. The result was greatly increased manufacturing and new plants opening up with no substantial increase in employment. This problem was not immediately appreciated or even connected to the 3-D printers at first thanks to their low percentage of global production but it became an increasing issue as the decade wore on. Many argue it was the inherent contradictions of late stage capitalism's demands for maximum profits pitted against the shrinking pool of consumer spending that brought about the infamous 8 M12 Global Crash.

These problems would see the rise of new, and old, ideas for economic organization and social safety nets. With capitalism effectively inventing itself into obsolescence critics, lead most strongly by the Globalist movement, argued a new way was necessary. Some, like Naomi Klein, argued these new advances required a break with the dominant Washington Consensus in favor of a stronger welfare state, government intervention in economic affairs, and responsible stewardship of new technologies to reduce the negative impacts on people's livelihoods. Others, like Noam Chomsky and David Graeber, called for more dramatic reforms like workplace democracy, a basic income for all, and an end to "profit at all cost, no matter the cost" economics. These arguments and tensions existed under the surface for some time before First Contact but with the growing economic changes new technological advances brought many were now openly questioning if the capitalist status quo was the best way to organize economic affairs."

From Chapter Three: The 3-D Printing Revolution, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12 

Quote:

Originally Posted by **DemBones**

 _Al Gore has officially announced his candidacy as President of the United States. What does everyone think about the Vice President and what impact will this have on the race for the White House?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _On one hand he's another big government liberal and an environmentalist nutter on top of it. That combination of policies and positions never ends well for anyone. On the other hand he's been a major supporter of Orion, seems to have a pretty solid grasp for science and technology which is necessary in today's world, and has been involved with a number of Clinton's major policy initiatives. I'm not sure what to think of him, in some ways he seems like a throwback we could avoid but in others he might be the right man for the job._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **ZapatistaFangirl**

 _I'm worried about his stance on free trade. NAFTA has been great for corporate interests and the bankers but everyone else is being left behind in the new prosperity. Gore's support for NAFTA, even if he's pitching it as reform, worries me considering the harm it has done to people across the continent._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _He'd definitely be the nerdiest president ever (One of us! One of us!) and is really smart but his stances on globalization worry me. I'd like to hear more from him on reforming Orion though a lot of his talk on the environment is encouraging to me. I'm just hoping he doesn't turn out to be another disappointment like Clinton was_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **LiveFreeorDie**

 _He's just another puppet of the secret masters and the Illuminati. None of the Beltway insiders can be trusted, they're all in bed with the Snakes!_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **IanTheMod**

 _ **LiveFreeorDie you've already been warned and kicked for posting conspiracy theories.** **This time you get banned.**_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **DemBones**

 _So getting back on topic this means so far we have Al Gore and Bill Bradley running for the Democratic nomination while on the Republican side we have George W. Bush, former governor of Texas, Senator John McCain of Arizona, businessman Steve Forbes, and longtime conservative activist Alan Keyes. Who does everyone think the final matchup will be?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed[/quote**

 _I think John McCain will come out on top as the Republican nominee. Bradley doesn't stand a chance against Gore and you aren't going to get a dunce like Bush or Keyes as the nominee. Before Contact I would have ranked Bush's odds a little higher but now you can't have someone who can't even pronounce the word "nuclear" right in the Oval Office._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **YellowDog**

 _I wouldn't write Bush off just yet. John McCain has a lot of appeal and support but Bush is much more in touch with his party's base than McCain is. That is usually decisive in primary elections though I don't think Bush will carry it. Like you said he's just too much of a dim bulb for the public to put him in office after First Contact._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _I think Gore is going to carry the primaries and the elections. For all of Clinton's faults he's leaving office with a solid 61% approval rating and Gore was heavily involved in his administration. That's going to count for a lot on election day_

From General Discussion Forum Thread "Al Gore announces his candidacy for President?" dated August 16th, 4 M12

"Along with operations like HIGHLINE and BROADWAY some of the most critical work done by the SGC during the period leading to the re-negotiation of the Protected Planets Treaty was their efforts in establishing contact with offworld human populations. As the Abydos mission had confirmed the Goa'uld need for slaves created a galactic diaspora of the human species across the stars. Wherever the Goa'uld went they brought with them large numbers of human slaves to serve as hosts and laborers. Many of these worlds were left trapped in a technologically stunted state by their Goa'uld masters to better keep these enslaved populations under control. Others would be abandoned, see their masters driven off by lucky uprisings, or forgotten amidst the endless conflict between the various System Lords.

Many of these diaspora populations were put in contact with the people of Earth by the actions of the SGC. Unlike HIGHLINE or BROADWAY operations First Contact missions were conducted with far greater care and precision. Preceded by MALP reconnaissance, and later Predator drone flights, these worlds would have their introduction to the people of Terra handled by the capable, experienced professionals of the SG Teams. These missions focused on establishing common ground, making contact with local government officials, and determining what, if any, level of Goa'uld influence was present. Only after this was done would SGC and the IOC determine what steps should be taken.

For worlds under strong Goa'uld domination, like Chulak and other seats of the System Lords, the location was noted and the teams withdrew. The SGC, in spite of their successes in small scale operations against the Goa'uld, knew they did not have the manpower or firepower to challenge the Goa'uld in their strongholds. Tributary worlds, which usually had a small Jaffa garrison at best along with annual visits from their lords, were another matter completely. Many of these worlds were used for extracting tributes in the form of labor, slaves, and raw materials. In these cases the Goa'uld assumed the power of their Jaffa soldiers, the fear they instilled in the masses, and Goa'uld propaganda claiming Godhood would be enough to keep these worlds in line.

Yet here Goa'uld arrogance would be their downfall. While many tributary worlds were successfully cowed into submission and obedience this state was maintained through fear and force, hanging on a thin thread. On worlds where resistance was confirmed, dissent building up, and the people were unhappy with their lot in life it didn't take much for the SGC to effectively break the power of the Goa'uld. These operations became part of what was known as the KEYSTONE campaign whose objective was to seek out vulnerable tributary worlds, break the power of the Goa'uld, recover whatever technology could be found, and provide aid and assistance to the local populations. Earlier KEYSTONE operations were quite risky as the information the SGC had on the Goa'uld was limited and resources for such actions scarce. Following the founding of the IOC and greater allocation of resources to the program it became possible for Stargate Command to be a force for liberation in the galaxy.

KEYSTONE was not alone in these efforts to free enslaved human diaspora populations from the Goa'uld. As Apophis' attempted spaceborne attack bluntly illustrated for all of humanity the Goa'uld had more than one option for how to handle a rebellious world. Even burying a Stargate was not enough to prevent the return of the Goa'uld if they felt reclaiming a lost world was necessary for reclaiming lost resources or maintaining their prestige in the eyes of the other System Lords. These hard realities would lead to an even more ambitious program than KEYSTONE to better protect the liberated human populations known as ASYLUM.

The ASYLUM campaign, initiated in 999 M11, was intended to provide a more robust, long-term solution to the problems encountered by those participating in KEYSTONE. ASYLUM became possible thanks to Jack O'Neil's accidental discovery and deciphering of a massive Ancient archive, providing the SGC with thousands of gate coordinates that, to their knowledge, were unknown to the Goa'uld. All of these worlds were fit for human life though most, thanks to the Goa'uld's ignorance of their existence, were not actually inhabited by human beings. These factors, in the broader context of the raging Goa'uld Succession War, made many of these newly discovered worlds ideal as sanctuaries for liberated human populations. Many of these worlds would be the sites of new settlements supported by modern technology and under SGC military protection. Each world would also see the SGC work with the local populations to establish self-sufficient planetary defense forces as the SGC's personnel could not be everywhere at once. The ASYLUM worlds became new homes for oppressed human populations who, in some cases, would send on their best and brightest to serve with Stargate Command.

For the planets abandoned or forgotten by the System Lords a different approach was taken. Here the IOC would take a direct hand in handling contact, negotiations, and resolving any problems that emerged from First Contact. The backbone of the IOC's policy was Clinton Doctrine which argued a combined, pan-species defense against Goa'uld tyranny trumped local political concerns in all of the IOC's dealings. IOC negotiation teams were under strict instructions not to interfere in local affairs or to upset the local balance of power, instead focusing on establishing peaceful contact and equitable diplomatic relations with the locals. The result was a network of IOC-allied worlds who worked together in sharing knowledge, resources, and as necessary fighting alongside one another to preserve their independence from Goa'uld rule.

Critical to the IOC's assessment was determining how technologically sophisticated the inhabitants were. Many of the worlds forgotten by the Goa'uld had advanced rapidly in their absence reducing the problems that came with contact. For those that remained in a pre-industrial state, however, the IOC emphasized minimizing the impact on cultural development as much as possible. Many commentators today have denounced this policy as short-sighted and ill-conceived especially in comparison to ASYLUM and the later uplift policies that are the galactic norm. What these critics are overlooking is at this time the IOC and the SGC simply did not have the resources to enact uplift on any substantial scale. Even ASYLUM was fairly modest compared to more recent examples of technological uplift focusing more on resettling human populations and establishing a solid, local defense."

From Chapter Four: Cat and Mouse, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12

"The upheaval of the Contact years was crucial in laying the foundations for the future of humanity. As the governments of the world adjusted to the new interstellar reality they settled in to work out what to do with all of it. The rapid technological advances provided by new developments funneled through the Orion Project and the economic transformations that came with them are but one of many aspects of the rapidly changing world. Geopolitical realities were changing as well with the actions of Stargate Command, though top secret at this time, not going unnoticed.

Many writers and commentators have argued, in hindsight, that it was arrogant in the extreme to believe as massive of a program as Stargate Command could have ever been kept secret. Operating on two continents with three full divisions, spearheaded by a battalion's worth of personnel in the elite SG Teams, of their own armed personnel by 2 M12 drawing recruits from around the world and, in some cases, offworld it is simply astounding the program remained hidden from the public eye for so long. Billions of dollars, offset by Orion patent fees, were poured into the program through a number of different forms of budgetary sleight of hand. When full disclosure of the program took place later on in the decade the sheer number of reporters who came forward with corroborating testimony previously barred by highly draconian gag orders shows just how widespread knowledge of Stargate Command had become.

Members of the Fourth Estate were not alone in their discoveries. Declassified Russian, Chinese, and Israeli archives all revealed within the first year of the re-activation of the Stargate these intelligence services were already trying to figure out what was going on deep in Cheyenne Mountain. First Contact and the rapid expansion of the SGC, while massively beneficial to the world and its inhabitants, saw these and other powers redouble their efforts to penetrate the SGC. The greatest successes achieved were by Chinese intelligence agents through building on their traditional strengths in industrial espionage. A number of civilian contractors, co-opted by the PRC's intelligence apparatus, quietly fed information on the program to their handlers in Beijing. Through these efforts along with coordination between the Russian and Chinese governments a broad sketch of what was happening began to form. It was based on this information that a rival gate program would emerge.

As any school child in the galaxy could tell you today Stargates are well-known for being effectively impervious to harm. Declassified SGC mission logs are some of the best sources on this with recorded examples of Stargates surviving direct hits from meteors, operating successfully on planets entering black holes, and in one case being at ground zero for a 100 megaton naquadah bomb detonation. This fact was not fully understood at the time of First Contact or appreciated by the personnel at Stargate Command. None thought it was possible for anything to have survived the destruction of Apophis' warships by SG-1 during their famous raid. The first to question this, based on what information they gleaned, were the Chinese and Russian intelligence services.

In 1 M12 a People's Liberation Army Navy Akula-class submarine on a special reconnaissance assignment in the Bering Straits encountered a large, unbelievably dense ring-shaped object in the frigid depths. The sub's commander brought his vessel in closer and confirmed a world-altering discovery: the Stargate used by SG-1 to successfully infiltrate Apophis' strike force. The commander immediately radioed for assistance and within hours additional Chinese and Russian vessels entered the Bering Sea, securing the perimeter and hauling the gate back to China. Test facilities at Red Mountain Command Base in Xinjiang, already in use for research on stolen and legally purchased Orion patents developments, were expanded with a special, hardened bunker bootstrapped into being the new gate room for the People's Liberation Army Space Force's latest acquisition. Within months the joint Russo-Chinese gate project came online as the two nations sent their own offworld teams on missions of their own.

The Russo-Chinese Gate Program, operating under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, was always a more relatively modest affair compared to Stargate Command. With less in the way of financial resources to throw at the program their efforts focused on technological acquisition. Diplomatic contacts offworld were limited to a similar search for allies and to do whatever was possible to level the playing field with Stargate Command. To this end technological research and industrial espionage were their bread and butter leaving more expensive liberation and relocation operations to Stargate Command. These developments would not go un-noticed by the SGC with confirmation of the Chinese gate program's existence happening in 2 M12 when two offworld technological extraction operations encountered one another, purely by chance, during an assault on one of the rogue Goa'uld Nirrti's outposts. This would lead to a somewhat tentative, terse arrangement between the SCO and SGC powers for direct technology sharing, coordination in planetary defense, and joint discussion and agreement on matters of offworld alliances against the Goa'uld.

These commitments were cemented with the re-negotiation of the terms of the largely defunct Outer Space Treaty in 3 M12 with its replacement by the Planetary Defense Accords. The PDA was one of the most significant pieces of diplomatic work of this period. It officially scrapped the Outer Space Treaty and greenlit the militarization of space so long as all orbital weapons deployed could not be used on planetary targets. It further established a form of mutual defense similar to the terms of the NATO agreements, declaring an attack on any one Earth nation by an extraterrestrial threat was an attack on all nations. Finally the Planetary Defense Accords stated all agreements regarding extraplanetary alliances had to be negotiated through the auspices of the United Nations on behalf of the whole planet, affirming a united stand in galactic affairs that began "at the sky's edge"."

From Chapter 2: A Brave New World, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

"In diplomatic and political history the Planetary Defense Accords of 3 M12 are held up as a major milestone in human development. This development is held up by many as an example of the brilliant statesmanship exhibited by the leaders of Terra during this period yet it was not solely a political transformation at work. New technological discoveries and the steady percolation of the idea that humanity was not alone in the universe had brought with them a major shift in the global consciousness. Indeed it is laughable to assume the great strides of the later years of human history could have been made possible by political policy alone. As anyone today can tell you it is not possible to bring about such profound changes merely by the stroke of a pen.

For years before the signing of the PDA people were looking at themselves and their lives less and less as just citizens of their own nations. In the pre-Contact world it is understandable why such parochialism would prevail. After all the main ways people conceived of their relationships stopped at the edge of the atmosphere and space was a vast, seemingly untouchable space. Popular science fiction like Star Trek, Star Wars, and Farscape with vast galaxies swarming with interstellar civilizations is the best example of how the great void was once seen by most: an incomprehensibly alien space with unimaginable and fantastic wonders that would be traversed in the far future. Contact itself changed this by proving there was a greater world out there, a world filled with hostile forces that needed to be understood.

New trade blocs like UNASUR and NAFTA along with the explosion of cyberspace added to this by greatly easing travel and communication across vast distances. No longer were people from another country a strange other studied in school but instead were penpals, business partners, and travel destinations in cultural exchanges taking place the world over. The proven-hostile nature of the Goa'uld greatly facilitated these discussions by providing an atmosphere of a common, shared enemy. People were beginning to see and understand one another in ways they never had before, sowing the seeds for pan-global unity at the cultural level.

It was thanks to all of these exchanges, travel, and shared experiences that the world began to come together as a single whole. The PDA cemented this by establishing the United Nations, an organization dedicated to encouraging world peace and unity, as the central representative of all of the human race on the galactic stage. Where once the discussions in this chamber were seen as somewhat inconsequential the UN now had become a focal point for human interaction. One example of the growing importance of the UN in global affairs and consciousness was the rise in Peacekeeping operations in the years following the signing of the PDA. Probably the most dramatic was Operation Neptune in the Malacca Straits and off the coast of Somalia. Joint, international naval antipiracy task forces that once would have received only minimal mention in the media became the focus of long-running news specials, breathless interviews with the crews, a series of television shows the world over, and a handful of blockbuster action movies depicting blue-helmeted heroes grappling with swashbuckling modern pirates.

Another potent display of the newly found unity of the human race was the first ever Global Unity Festival organized at a dozen locations simultaneously on every continent on May 1, 4 M12. Many, at the time, derided it as nothing more than some kind of giant hippie love-in based on the largely activist nature of the organizers and participating groups. What these naysayers missed was how incredibly huge the Unity Festival was with an estimated 100 million people attending at all locations. For a week these vast throngs of music aficionados, activists, idealists, and dreamers of all kinds rocked out, took drugs, debated ideas, and enjoyed one another's company with speeches and performances from other sites simulcast on giant screens for the crowds. Though subsequent Global Unity Festivals would boast higher turnout or more impressive budgets the first ever GUF was a major milestone in the changing discussions of what it meant to be human in the new galaxy."

From Chapter 3: Coming Together, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

BILL O'REILLY: I'm Bill O'Reilly, thanks for watching us tonight!  
Is our foreign policy still ours? That is the subject of this evening's Talking Points.

New reports from the recent summit at Geneva suggest President Clinton is selling out our foreign policy to the United Nations.

*cut to footage of Clinton at the Geneva Summit*

"I further believe only by working together can we guarantee our safety from the threat posed to our world by extraterrestrial enemies"

O'REILLY: But is this just an excuse to give countries like Russia and China a veto over our foreign policy? Joining us now is Robert Kagan with the Carnegie International Endowment for Peace. Thank you for joining us tonight Mr. Kagan.

ROBERT KAGAN: Glad to be here Bill. What President Clinton is proposing doing in Geneva is simply astounding in how radical, dangerous, and overreaching it is. Not only is he proposing something that is likely unconstitutional he is allowing foreign governments to have a say in American interstellar policy. There's been nothing like this ever in American history and I'm shocked to see so many in Congress going along with it.

O'REILLY: Proponents of the Geneva discussions say we need to stand as a united force against alien aggression and that such political differences must stop "at the sky's edge". Do you think this is the best way to go about doing that?

KAGAN: Absolutely not. America should not be submitting our policies on the Goa'uld for discussion or referendum based on world opinion. We need to set our course based on what is best for the United States first and lead the entire world based on that example. We have the moral stature, the military might, and the economic power to make that possible and for Clinton to abdicate American leadership on this is simply unacceptable.

O'REILLY: Why do you think he would agree to something like this?

KAGAN: I can't be sure Bill. It just doesn't make any sense to me for an American president to be taking such obviously anti-American actions on the world stage. If Congress has any backbone at all they should impeach him for treason.

O'REILLY: Do you think some of the reports on him taking campaign contributions from the Chinese might have something to do with it?

KAGAN: I wouldn't be at all surprised if that were true Bill. There's just no way to explain why the President would be selling us out like this.

Transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor" first broadcast on September 3rd, 3 M12

"In the years leading up to and immediately following Contact the growth of global trade blocs was key in removing all existing barriers to the movement of goods, resources, people, and ideas on a continental and global scale. Economically these developments, often undervalued by post-Unification Terrans, were critical in making the far better known and understood Interstellar Revolution truly possible. Without these reduced barriers to trade and technology the spread of new developments would have been much slower with far less impact in what was then known as the developing world. As much as the Orion Patents receive a lot of well-deserved attention in the public's imagination the developments that came out of it were accelerated by these reduced barriers to trade and commerce.

The combination of superconducting materials, more sophisticated computer technology, maglevs, and 3D printing on an industrial scale transformed the world at unprecedented speed. Economically speaking all of these developments greatly reduced the amount of labor needed for production and transportation. Maglevs, which provided the militaries of the world with the ideal testbed for pushing the limits of magnetic technology and superconductors, reduced transportation time and costs wherever they were installed greatly accelerating the speed at which the world's logistical systems moved. This lead to reduced investment and need for warehouse and storage space, leading to reduced labor needs across global supply chains. Superconductors, being more efficient and longer-lasting than conventional materials, increased power production worldwide while simultaneously triggering reduced employment across the global energy industry as did the growth and spread of 3D printing in manufacturing. SSS systems(1) had a similar impact in white collar and administrative work by greatly reducing how many people were needed to accomplish simple tasks.

The overall result was a more profitable, wealthy economy than ever. Private enterprises, governments, and other entities profited enormously posting record-setting revenues and stock prices pushing worldwide GDP to unprecedented levels. Wealth was growing at dizzying rates with economic pundits in every market predicting even greater things to come. If the perspective one takes for measuring economic success was based on these optimistic outbursts then the world should have been entering a utopian age of shared prosperity.

This prosperity was not widely shared across society. Part of the reason so much wealth was flowing so rapidly around the world was because of the reduced need for labor to accumulate it. Technological efficiency lead to shrinking workforces across the planet accelerating the growing inequalities that already were the norm worldwide. The greater technological sophistication meant many of these developments were trickling down, in a limited fashion, to the great consuming masses but the reduced spending power was already starting to take its toll by 5 M12.

The businesses that depended most on the mass consumption model of Cold War and late stage capitalism would be the first to feel the impact. Retail businesses, particularly video, music, and other forms of mass media, were the first to be sent reeling as reduced consumer spending power reduced their profit margins feeding a vicious cycle of reduced employment and reduced wealth. Soon other service-based jobs, dependent as they were on mass consumption to remain profitable, saw similar declines. Workers and smaller business owners responded to these growing challenges by borrowing increasingly larger sums of money, leading to widespread consumer debt the world over. In the immediate term national leaders responded by relaxing restrictions on lending and increasing funding for public assistance programs and worker retraining but as later events would show this was far from enough. The changes brought on by the Interstellar Revolution would greatly exacerbate the structural contradictions of late stage capitalism, setting the stage for the spectacular confrontations of the years leading up to Unification."

From Chapter 3: The Interstellar Revolution, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"The Asgard are an ancient, incredibly technologically sophisticated, and reclusive species native to the Ida Galaxy. Even with the long-standing alliance between Humanity and the Asgard there is little that is known about these mysterious friends of the human race. One thing that is certain about the Asgard is their technology, to paraphrase late 11th Millennium science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, approaches levels that even today seem magical. Another thing that is clear is ever since their first discovery of the Milky Way Galaxy over three thousand years ago the Asgard have been persistent enemies of the Goa'uld Empire. Ever since then they have worked as distant guardians, explored the limits of the universe, and done all they could to frustrate the Goa'uld's power.

Many observers, from First Contact with the Asgard to the modern day, have long questioned how it was possible for such a spectacularly advanced species to fail in forcing the Goa'uld into anything stronger than a series of tensely negotiated ceasefires, armistices, and temporary truces. As many of this line of thought argue, claiming the Asgard are nothing more than distant chess masters like the Goa'uld, the massive technological disparity between the Asgard and the Goa'uld could have won them total victory but for some inscrutable alien agenda. The flaws in this argument are twofold. The first, as any university student is quick to point out, is how the Asgard could benefit from such an arrangement. The amount of resources expended in these conflicts for their limited gains suggest the Asgard were doing all they could to defeat the Goa'uld and were only able to see modest victories in spite of that. The second, as many students of galactic history are now aware, is more mundane.

The simple fact is the Asgard have never possessed the necessary raw military power to truly defeat the Goa'uld. Long before the Asgard implemented the policy of reproduction by cloning the species already had relatively low reproduction rates. The sophistication of their technology further ensured there was no need for large, toiling masses to maintain their economic systems further discouraging large families. The relative lack of hostile spacefaring species in the Ida Galaxy further meant that most Asgard colonies were founded for the purposes of specialized resource extraction, researching exotic phenomena, and communications as opposed to examples like the Goa'uld diaspora, the Alterans, or humanity who established colonies as new homes and for specialized purposes. The result was a small, highly concentrated population with very limited capacity for enforcing raw military force on other powers.

Further complicating the situation was the logistical challenge of confronting the Goa'uld in the Milky Way Galaxy. Even though the Asgard had sufficiently sophisticated hyperdrive engines for intergalactic travel to be relatively easy for them they still faced the problem of sustaining operations on a large enough scale to really do serious damage to the Goa'uld. New intelligence was slow to reach frontline commanders who, lacking the large bodies of ground troops necessary to hold liberated worlds against Goa'uld counter-attacks, could only be in so many places at once. One particular obstacle not well appreciated by modern readers is the power of a united Goa'uld Empire rallying behind the power and might of Ra as Supreme System Lord. Unlike the Goa'uld during the Succession War that paved the way to Humanity's relatively recent ascendancy as the dominant power in the galaxy these System Lords fought Asgard incursions as a united, cohesive front. They suffered appalling losses every time yet still kept coming, knowing if they did any less the awesome power of the Asgard could pick them all off one by one. So powerful is the hatred of the Asgard among the Goa'uld that even during the Succession War bitter Goa'uld enemies would gladly set aside their differences to present a united front against the Asgard.

To offset these problems the Asgard High Council doubled down on increasing the tech gap between the two powers. Research was poured into finding deadly applications for every branch of Asgard knowledge. Some historians specializing in the Asgard speculate their use of cloning technology was one of many fruits of this ambitious research program. Many argue that with each new, major development the Asgard would take to the field again to see how much more they could chip away from the Goa'uld. It is somewhat tragic this effort would be the foundation of the Asgard's decline when, approximately five hundred years ago, they accidentally unleashed the great menace in the known universe.

This danger was a species of highly sophisticated artificial life forms known as the Replicators. Originally a series of toys created by an Alteran android the Replicators became a highly sophisticated species that survived and advanced by consuming the technology of other species. The Replicators first became known to the Asgard centuries ago when an Asgard research vessel discovered the first known sample in the fringes of the Milky Way and brought them to a lab in the Ida Galaxy for further study. The Replicators broke out of containment and rapidly absorbed the technologies of the research station, turning them into the greatest threat the Asgard had ever seen.

It was following the Replicator disaster the Asgard first negotiated the most permanent arrangement in their history with the Goa'uld: the Protected Planets Treaty. When the treaty was first negotiated in the mid 11th Millennium Ra, for his part, had tired of the endless struggle with the Asgard and the great cost of each war in terms of lives lost, ships destroyed, and worlds in need of suppression. Most crucially Ra's failure to decisively defeat the Asgard and the expectation that he take the lead in the defense of his empire was weakening his grip on power. By agreeing to the Asgard's terms and granting them a limited sphere of influence the Supreme System Lord bought a measure of stability, breathing room to prepare his fleets, and time to plot the permanent ejection of the Asgard from the Milky Way. Some speculate that Ra was in the process of preparing the necessary arsenal to implement his plans when the first Stargate expedition brought about his abrupt, unexpected demise. From the Asgard position it ensured a beachhead in the Milky Way and bought them time to deal with the Replicator crisis.

The chaos of the Goa'uld Succession War, the growing influence and impact of the SGC and Earth in galactic affairs, and the active efforts by the IOC to make contact with the Asgard provided the High Council with an opportunity. After initial contact and following encounters between the two species the High Council concluded the rise of the Terrans provided them the perfect chance to upset Goa'uld power without risking much of their own limited resources. Earth provided them with a perfect proxy not unlike examples from the Cold War period of Soviet support for North Vietnam or American support for the mujahedin of Afghanistan. It was based on these concerns they re-opened negotiations with the Goa'uld to add Earth to the list of protected planets. After intense haggling culminating in the banishment of treaty opponent Nirrti from the ranks of the System Lords the two sides agreed to adding Earth to the list of protected planets, allowing them access to the Gate network, and an understanding that any Terrans taken offworld would be at the mercy of their Goa'uld captors. Such a highly lucrative arrangement was only possible thanks to the Goa'uld instability and their fear of the Asgard's unquestionably superior, though unavailable, military technology."

From Chapter Four: The Asgard, _A Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12

William Kristol, Chairman of the Project for a New American Century: Gentlemen as you all know the current presidential election presents us with an ideal opportunity to take control of the SGC and move it in a more beneficial direction. Gary Bauer has more to say on that in detail so I'll turn the floor over to him. Gary?

Gary Bauer, President of the Family Research Council: Thank you Bill. With the elections only a month away we've put in a lot of work making sure our friends and allies are in key positions in the political apparatus. We have successfully called in a number of markers in the Republican Party to get Senator Lamar Alexander to accept Dick as his running mate. On the Democratic side Bob has successfully parlayed his advocacy for increased Pentagon transparency along with his deep pockets and fundraising network to nab the VP slot on Al Gore's ticket. We have also managed to get a number of our allies into key positions on both campaigns, guaranteeing our influence in the coming administration no matter who wins.

Steve Forbes: Excuse me Gary but what good is having the Vice Presidential slot if either president decides not to follow their advice.

Robert Kinsey, Democratic Candidate for Vice President: I can answer part of that concern Steve. I think we can sway my running mate to the right side on this issue. Gore is a smart man, has a firm grasp of the stakes, and like most ambitious, intelligent men in his position will want to step out of Bill Clinton's shadow once he gets into office. I also think my advocacy for government transparency has been effective in eliciting sympathy from him for our position. Regardless I'll be a heartbeat away from the Oval Office as will Dick, if the Republicans win, giving us two solid backups just in case things don't go according to plan.

Richard Cheney, Republican Candidate for Vice President: Senator Alexander is unquestionably our man. He'll side with us no matter what happens assuming we win the elections. In the worst case scenario, meaning Gore wins and he refuses to buck Clinton's ill-conceived, alien-friendly policies, we have plenty of fallback plans and allies in place to deal with him. We have a number of people in high places throughout the White House and the Pentagon who will support whatever actions are necessary to make people see things our way. Don's people in particular have put in a lot of hard work to make sure everything goes the way we want it to.

Donald Rumsfeld, Chairman of Gilead Sciences: And it will all work as promised Dick. Our researchers, with help from friends inside the Pentagon and the SGC, have succeeded in procuring Goa'uld DNA and medical reports on the autopsies of former hosts. I'm confident when the time comes there will be no serious difficulty in making our story convincing to the general public.

Roger Ailes, President of Fox News Channel: Our viewers will believe anything we say. Years of castigating the evils of liberal media, right wing talk radio giants like Rush Limbaugh, and all our efforts in destroying Clinton's credibility along with all the stories we've been running on the alien threat and foreign influence in domestic politics have our audience primed to accept whatever we broadcast. If we need to take the most extreme steps necessary many will rally to our side and excuse whatever has to be done.

Kristol: All of this talk of extreme measures is seriously concerning me. If this doesn't work then what we are all discussing will probably be seen as treason at the very least.

Cheney: And it will succeed if things come to that Bill. I'd rather we have all our contingency plans in place than be caught flat-footed on Inauguration Day.

Kinsey: I agree. We need to be prepared and regardless of what others may think of what we do it is all in the name of defending our planet from alien attack. Whatever we do, when it succeeds, will be excused as necessary for the security of the United States and Earth.

Taken from the transcript for the October 4, 4 M12 Colorado Springs Summit of the Project for a New American Century, unsealed in 29 M12

1) Solid State Superconducting, a common acronym for distinguishing immediate post-contact computer systems from earlier magnetic hard drives and more archaic systems


	4. Chapter 4: Et tu, Brute?

**Chapter 4: Et tu, Brute?**

To everyone in Prometheus station, most especially former Jaffa priestess Sroda of Gualun, January 12th, 2005 started much like any other day at Omega Site's Prometheus Technological Adaptation Station. Sroda, a specialist in Jaffa armor and weapons technology who defected to the SGC two years before during a raid one of System Lord Olakun's outposts, was hard at work on a new prototype when Dr. Samuel Patricks came running in. "How many Hercules suits can we get operational in the next six hours?" Sroda's head jerked up from the polymer power circuits she was fine-tuning in surprise as she exclaimed, "Why do we need them online Doctor Patricks? There aren't any field tests on the schedule for the next week and at the project meeting yesterday you yourself said we aren't expected to have it ready for production for another six months." As she looked her superior in the eye she began to register just how flustered, almost panicked, the look on Patricks' face really was.

"Haven't you heard the news? Kinsey is claiming he's arrested President Gore under suspicion of being an undercover Goa'uld!" Sroda froze as her eyes slowly widened in shock. "How is that possible?" she said in a very controlled voice. "How could the most powerful of the nations of the Tau'ri succumb to a Goa'uld?" Patricks replied, "General Hammond thinks there's something else going on. Haven't you heard half the base gossip on Kinsey? He tried to have the program shutdown right when Apophis launched his attack on Earth and has been monkeying around ever since. Remember Dr. Becker?" Sroda frowned before slowly nodding replying, "The genetics researcher who was sent back to Earth after they caught him trying to smuggle Goa'uld DNA samples offworld?" Patricks fervently nodded saying, "Yeah, turns out he received a lot of money from Gilead Sciences to steal it. They were big contributors to Kinsey's campaign and big-time advocates for completely deregulating the Orion Patents program. From what I've heard Hammond's people found evidence tying Gilead and the theft directly to Kinsey."

Sroda looks back perplexedly at Dr. Patricks. She was still getting used to the ways of the Tau'ri and their democratic processes and was unsure if this was some kind of secret test of loyalty. "Why does Kinsey arresting Albert Gore of Tennessee for Goa'uld infestation matter to us? Is not our job as soldiers to obey what the civilian government tells us to do?" Patricks took in a deep breather before replying, "I'll put it this way: if people like Kinsey got their way you'd either be in an interrogation chamber or on a dissection table instead of working for the SGC as a weapons researcher. If they had their way they wouldn't have lifted a finger for any of the Goa'uld worlds the SGC has liberated over the past few years." Sroda paused before saying, "So what are we going to do? We cannot allow Kinsey to seize power illegally, but if I understand things correctly it would be equally unlawful for the military to take action." Patricks nodded before saying, "Normally yes but if Kinsey himself is taking office illegally, and the DNA samples Becker stole could be used to fake an infestation, then we need to do whatever we can to stop him. Hammond has ordered all bases on alert and authorized an emergency early deployment of the suits and any other technology that could give us an edge."

Just as Dr. Patricks finished his sentence the intercoms for the base came online. "This is General Laval speaking. The American President-elect Al Gore has been freed from custody and confirmed as not a Goa'uld. All personnel are to continue immediate mobilization of all on-site military resources and assets. Prometheus is on immediate lockdown." Sroda listened intently before saying to Dr. Patricks, "We currently have twenty four suits that can be ready for operation in three hours. The rest will need at least forty eight hours of constant work to bring online and they would only be good for a few engagements at most. They certainly would not be fit for use against the Goa'uld." Patricks nodded before saying, "Then let's get to work."

While Dr. Patricks dialed up the rest of the armor lab staff Sroda got to work taking the necessary preliminary steps to get the Hercs ready for action. The Hercules suits, officially designated the Power Augmented Body Armor System, were the result of years of research into Jaffa body armor and the possibilities recovered Goa'uld technology offered the SGC. Unlike the Jaffa, with their enhanced strength offsetting the weight of their armor, the soldiers of Earth were normal humans with all the limitations that came with it. Many at Prometheus up until Sroda joined the program felt the power of staff weapons and the needed weight to protect against a staff blast made any serious improvements in armor likely to be years away.

It was her knowledge of Jaffa armor, particularly those of the System Lord guards' designs similar to the Falcon and Serpent Guard, coupled with a fortuitous exhibition of a Raytheon-Honda concept for an enhanced powered suit shortly after she came to Prometheus that changed all that. Two years later and six months sooner than she expected Sroda was powering up the first working examples of a powerful fusion of Goa'uld knowledge and technology with Earth practicality and necessity. As the fluorescent lights of the armor lab storage room illuminated two rows of silent, towering suits Sroda immediately punched in a systems diagnostic on the main lab computer.

The differences between Jaffa armor and the Hercs was a powerful example of the differences in mentality and approach between the Goa'uld and the SGC. Both regular and the more ostentatious System Lord Guard suits, which included enhanced optics, communications, and heavier armor than regular suits, were meant for intimidation as much as protection. The Hercules suits had a more specialized task in mind.

Forcing a defended Stargate was a highly dangerous, risky operation that brought lots of casualties with every engagement. The Hercules suits, with their heavy plate and heavier weapons loadout of two underarm miniguns and a shoulder-mounted mortar launcher, were meant to be the answer to these problems. This as all made possible by superdense batteries and superconductor-powered hydraulics and polymers dramatically enhancing the weight load a soldier could carry. Unlike Jaffa or even Serpent Guard suits the Hercules, when it went into production, was meant to reduce the risk for all personnel and accomplish the mission as quickly and bloodlessly as possible.

As she fired up the computer systems that made these massive, nine foot tall machines go Sroda slammed her palm on the intercom system. "This is Sroda in the armor lab. We need twenty four Hercules combat loads from the armory immediately." As she looked up two squads of unarmed, uniformed Gate Corps personnel ran in with a swarm of technicians. The storage room was rapidly buzzing with activity as the huge Hercs hummed to action. Gate Corps personnel hopped into their suits, armory techs loaded up belts of ammo and racks of shells, and the featureless halfdome battle helmets slid in over the soldiers' faces. As they moved into action Sroda silently hoped as hard as she could they succeeded. Years before she would have prayed to the False Gods but now all she could do was place her fate in the hands of the Taur'i and trust that she was doing the right thing.

"Good morning my fellow Americans. It fills me with great regret and sorrow to be speaking to you under these conditions. In the weeks following the election I discovered evidence of a threat to our national and planetary security I could not stand by and ignore. A month ago a concerned individual attached to the United States Space Forces approached me with shocking proof that President-elect Albert Gore Jr. has recently become a host to a Goa'uld parasite.

This information was brought to me under the strictest of security and I have the highest confidence in its authenticity. Further investigations by my staff have confirmed a number of US military personnel, including high-ranking members of the Space Forces, have been co-opted by these alien parasites. I have waited this long to come forward as I needed to be sure the threat would be contained before going public with this information.

I understand the situation is highly irregular and there may be many who question its legitimacy. Unfortunately there was no way anyone could have anticipated such an occurrence until recently and I felt it would not be safe to leave a Goa'uld host in the most powerful office on Earth any longer than necessary. Sometimes extraordinary actions are necessary to defend our liberty.

It is my hope we will succeed in cleaning out these alien infestations to better secure our national and global security. I call on the people of the United States to come together in standing firm against the alien menace. We are entering a new age for humanity and we must be ready to meet it head-on and without compromise."

Vice President-elect Robert Kinsey's Address from the Oval Office, January 12th, 5 M12

"As sudden as the Kinsey Coup was in the moment it unfolded the roots of this moment in history stretched back to before First Contact when the Stargate program first began. Robert Kinsey was far from alone in being a critic of the SGC. From its inception Kinsey was vocally opposed in public to the secrecy of the United States Space Forces. Behind closed doors, as declassified documents later revealed, he felt the Stargate Program's emphasis on diplomacy over military expedience was a dangerous policy for the security of the planet against the Goa'uld. First Contact crystalized these fears as the direct assault by Apophis' forces greatly changed the situation for the people of Terra. The establishment of the IOC hardened Kinsey's opposition as he felt American military and economic clout, plus direct ownership of the Stargate, was good enough reason to take the lead regardless of what anyone else thought.

Kinsey found support from a number of Blue Dog Democrats, neoconservative Republicans, and others who were prominent in the Occidentalist movement. The Occidentalists, held up by many historians as the antithesis of the Globalists, were a movement with considerable support following First Contact. Central to this support was the backing of powerful business interests, motivated by desires for a bigger piece of the pie, coupled with those who felt any action was justified in the defense of Earth and argued modern American democracy coupled with neo-liberal capitalism was the optimal model for organizing society. These groups were broadly coordinated by a network of political action committees and think tanks with the Project for a New American Century as the most prominent and well-known.

These views were spread by a powerful and sophisticated media network of well-funded outlets. Some of the most powerful in the Occidentalist movement were Rupert Murdoch's media empire flagshipped by Fox News, Clear Channel Radio, and _The Western Review_ , a periodical in the vein of _The Economist_ founded in 997 M11. It was through these outlets a degree of mass based support was cultivated through appealing to people's nationalism and xenophobia.

What further hardened these lines in the United States was the developing interstellar policy of the Clinton-Gore Administration. Quite contrary to the American Occidentalist calls for a more unilateralist, America leading the way, policy Clinton's focus was on building a broad base of international support. Where the establishment of the IOC was the spark for the Occidentalists further behind the scenes actions like the establishment of dialog with the Russo-Chinese Gate program further incensed PNAC men like Kinsey and Richard Cheney, former Defense Secretary and CEO of Halliburton. It was with the signing of the Planetary Defense Accords the Coup's plotters went into action.

The PNAC, using their vast reach and influence inside the US military establishment, managed to procure a sample of Goa'uld DNA from Prometheus Station and smuggle it to Earth. They reached out to individuals in the officer corps and the Secret Service who they felt would be sympathetic to their cause. In the media the volume and vitriol of criticism of the PDA escalated but the most stunning element of the PNAC plot was the degree to which they penetrated both parties. To ensure the success of their policies the PNAC's members pulled in enough favors and strings to put Kinsey and Cheney in the VP slots of the Democratic and Republican tickets for the 4 M12 Presidential election. With their most committed, connected members guaranteed to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency the PNAC felt certain they'd be in a position to change the direction of US policy on the Stargate.

What frustrated their plans was Albert Gore Jr., the Democratic nominee for President. Gore, though noted for having a somewhat stiff public personality, had won over the electorate with his involvement in the Clinton Administration's economic and interstellar successes. The PDA was a centerpiece of his election and many analysts argue it was thanks to the support for the PDA, global peace, and general prosperity that Gore clinched the elections with 52% of the public's support and an electoral college landslide. The PNAC hoped that Kinsey would succeed in convincing Gore to change course but the President-elect in early, post-election meetings made it quite clear he was going forward with the multilateral Clinton Doctrine policies for galactic policy. Each of Kinsey's attempts were rebuffed as Gore selected his cabinet choices based on their competence and support for these broader policy goals.

Certain that Gore's policy would put Terra in immediate, dire threat Kinsey moved into action. Agents were contacted, favors were called in, and by the beginning of the New Year he felt everything was ready. Early on the morning of January 12th, 5 M12 special forces personnel, lead by Colonel Maybourne and assisted by a handful of moles inside the Secret Service, neutralized Gore's protection detail and arrested him in his home. At 07:00 EST, just in time for the morning news broadcast, Vice President-elect Kinsey took to the airwaves from the Oval Office with his emergency address to the world. The Kinsey Coup had begun."

Chapter 3: The Changing Global Order, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

"The immediate reaction of the public to Kinsey's announcement was shock and dismay. In spite of a history of upheaval, conflict, and revolt the United States had never experienced anything like the Kinsey Coup before. Making matters worse were the fears of Goa'uld infiltration that sprung up in the wake of First Contact. Kinsey's charges, while not believed by many, confirmed the worst nightmares of people worldwide.

Initially most of the general public sat in stunned silence. Much of the people in the United States would have never imagined such a moment could have been possible. After the first shock wore off the people of the United States reacted fiercely. Within hours mass demonstrations, organized through the use of the Internet, spontaneously broke out nationwide. Spearheaded by activists affiliated with the global justice movement these demonstrations swelled rapidly employing tactics of mass occupation of space. By 11:00 January 12th massive rallies in opposition to Kinsey's Coup had formed in every state of the country with activists shutting down the Ports of Oakland, San Pedro, Long Beach, Seattle, San Diego, Portland, Newark, Boston, Hampton Roads, Houston, Mobile, and New Orleans and many key highway and downtown routes. At the forefront were banners and speakers denouncing him as a fraud, calling for Gore's re-installation as President and calls for worldwide unity.

Counter-demonstrations were quick to form in reaction, supporting Kinsey's action. These groups tended to be much smaller but were often more well-armed and in some cases had the support of local and state officials. Protests in most cities were met with riot police lines with responses ranging from containment to active attempts at suppression. The worst violence took place in Oakland, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, Boise, and New York where police officers, supported by small National Guard detachments and deputized paramilitary blocs, opened fire with live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowds. These initial clashes saw 107 American citizens killed by gunfire and hundreds more injured but in most places, with the exceptions of Phoenix and Boise, the demonstrators managed to hold their ground and repel the police attacks.

Internationally the reactions of foreign governments and populations varied greatly. Among most of the IOC nations, Latin America, and the Middle East anti-Kinsey demonstrations broke out with the masses declaring their support for Gore's installation as President and keeping to the Planetary Defense Accords. The governments of Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, and Chile, likely influenced by their past experiences with military takeovers and political coups, lead the way in denouncing Kinsey while the IOC members are called to an emergency meeting by Stargate Command.

In a top secret meeting at Central Command the members of the IOC are informed by General George Hammond the SGC believes the evidence proving Gore's infestation by the Goa'uld is a fabrication. He reveals upon being informed of this he mobilized all SGC military assets. Fierce debate follows over what the IOC and the governments they represent should do. Some, led by Hammond, call for immediate action to rescue the arrested President-elect Al Gore and exposing Kinsey while others express hesitation over taking a direct hand in internal US politics.

As these discussions were underway the Russian and Chinese governments took their own steps forward. Fearing the US government may truly have been penetrated by the Goa'uld the leaders of both nations ordered immediate mobilization of their armed forces. These military moves were paralleled by declarations from Moscow and Beijing the terms of the Planetary Defense Accords meant, if such accusations were proven correct, justified taking whatever actions they felt would be necessary to defend Earth."

From Chapter 4: Upheaval and Revolt, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

"The Kinsey Coup and its fallout revealed a number of fissures, flaws, and faults in the developing global economic system of the post-Contact world that would come to play in later years as Terra moved closer to unification. The coup and the upheaval that came with it caught many in the moment by surprise yet these developments were founded on longer standing issues building up under the surface. The combination of market panic and mass demonstrations in the streets did not spring up from a vacuum. The two pillars of what economists call the Kinsey Shock were the central importance of US banking in the global financial market and the creeping impact of increasingly efficient forms of automation.

Economically speaking the moment Kinsey gave his Oval Office address markets around the world shuddered in fear. The United States had never experienced an event where power was seized so openly, in such an illegal fashion, and with such little regard for even the appearance of established processes. Though Kinsey was the legally elected Vice President making him next in line after Gore for presidential succession removing an elected President by any means other than Congressional impeachment required a majority vote of a sitting, confirmed cabinet. Kinsey's well-known opposition to the Planetary Defense Accords and the general consensus his selection was to provide ideological balance to the ticket added an additional layer of illegitimacy to the proceedings. What made matters worse was how severe the reasons for removal were.

In the initial moments following his announcement traders immediately began offloading US Treasury Bonds as quickly as they possibly could. This selloff would be the pebble that set off the avalanche for a number of reasons. The Treasury Bond, in the pre-Unification world, was seen by most in the global markets as the safest, most stable investment possible thanks to the long-standing stability of the US government. For over two hundred years the US had never failed to adhere to established legal processes in changeovers of power and during the Interbellum period of the World Wars era the widespread on US loans and credit by major imperial powers had cemented this rock solid reputation. Even the end of Bretton Woods and gold to dollar convertibility, while an immediate shock to the system, failed to upend the dollar's dominance. The Kinsey Coup, as a first in history event for the United States, came as a sudden shock. His allegations of large portions of the US military being co-opted by the Goa'uld made matters worse by undermining confidence in the backbone of American global power.

The Treasury Bonds selloff was followed by panic and uncertainty as the stock traders in New York, London, Tokyo, and Berlin moved to protect their assets by liquidating American holdings, moving money to other currencies like the Yen and the Euro, and other moves that from the perspective of their clients were safe moves. Unfortunately the sheer scale of the withdrawal of funds and credit from US and global markets took on enormous proportions making the shift pennywise and pound foolish. Stock prices fell, commodity markets went into a total panic, and in an attempt to stop the bleeding on noon, January 12th the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and Chicago Mercantile Exchange officially suspended all trading and shut down. The remaining global markets fell into a spiral as the news of the market closure rocketed around the world.

Hand in hand but longer in developing was the growing impact of industrial and economic automation. By 3 M12 automation and 3D printing was rapidly shrinking the size of manufacturing work forces worldwide. More sophisticated computer systems made it possible for similar methods to be applied to supply chain work, one of the few areas of the economy most professionals in period thought was impervious to such changes. In the service sector increasing use of simple computers to replace checkout stands, Internet streaming video, and the explosion of online merchants like put many small businesses in a tight bind forcing many to cut back on labor costs or go under completely.

These impacts were felt worldwide but their manifestation was very gradual. Unlike previous contractions in the work force, with the Great Depression of the Interbellum period as the prime example, these reductions in the labor force were happening over the course of years in fits and starts as opposed to all at once in a sudden collapse. Unemployment assistance, retraining funds, and other public welfare programs mitigated the impact of these changes throughout the industrialized world by helping keep people in their homes and fed it was nonetheless a creeping rot in the world economy.

Many of these individuals, with little to do but search for increasingly scarce forms of employment, got in contact with their fellows and worked to educate themselves on the matter. Redemptionist and Occidentalist answers had some draw but their reliance on tried and true tradition did little to assuage people's needs and fears. The Globalists, by contrast, were dead on in their arguments of automation, growing reliance on debt, and increasing technological change as the culprits and their words struck a chord made more resonant by the effectiveness of Globalist movement street actions in bringing immediate, concrete change and benefits for people.

These two factors were critical in explaining why the reaction of the American public to Kinsey's Coup was so explosive. As much as Kinsey and the PNAC were banking on using the fears of the population of alien attack to secure their position they failed to appreciate these broader issues when they struck. The sudden economic collapse, coming hard on the heels of Kinsey's announcement, soured many on his government immediately. Large numbers of discontented, unemployed and underemployed Globalist sympathizers on the streets gave the spontaneous mass demonstrations, organized and communicated via the Internet, a huge mass to draw on for occupying critical public spaces. Without these two critical factors in place Kinsey's Coup would have unfolded very differently."

From Chapter 2: Building the New Global Economy, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12 

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Europhile**

 _Hey so I just got home from work and was catching up on the news when I saw US VP Robert Kinsey's broadcast. Here's an embedded video for those who haven't seen it yet:_

 _(Video of the Kinsey Broadcast)_

 _What's going on in the USA?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **DemBones**

 _Kinsey's trying to pull a fast one! How could Gore possibly be a Goa'uld host with all the Secret Service vetting that presidential candidates have to go through? The idea is simply preposterous!_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _If what Vice President Kinsey is saying is true then I guess the extraordinary nature of the situation justifies action but even still the charges seem a bit ridiculous. It would have been better for him to wait for Congress to be seated and follow legal processes instead of pulling something like this._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _I'm packing up to head down to the port. I got a text message earlier this morning just after the coup went off calling for bodies in the streets of LA and at the docks. This illegal coup needs to be stopped and direct action will get the job done._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **ZapatistaFangirl**

 _Good luck TechSabby, also signing off for the day. There's people streaming into the streets all over Chicago, I can't sit this one out._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **PolitBrit**

 _In London things are really going nuts. They say the markets are imploding and lots of people are taking to the streets demanding Kinsey step down immediately. Downing Street hasn't said anything yet but I bet the pressure's on for a statement from the PM's office._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **YellowDog**

 _I hope things don't get violent, if what Kinsey is claiming is true that would be shocking but the idea that the President-elect AND the vast majority of the branch of the military Kinsey is on record despising being infiltrated by the Goa'uld is a pretty outrageous claim to be making._

 _In related news has anyone heard about what happened with the NYSE? Have they halted trading like this before?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _Not recently and only when things are really going haywire. Stock prices are falling all over the place and the commodities market, from what I'm seeing, has gone totally haywire. This is not going to help the situation any and if it gets really bad we could slip into a Depression._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **RedStateProgressive**

 _What an idiot! How could Kinsey think the markets would have reacted in any other way to a first in history action but with panic? No matter how this ends up a lot of people are going to end up hurting and even if Kinsey is right he's going to have a huge mess on his hands to clean up._

From General Discussion Forum Thread "What just happened in the White House?" dated January 12th, 5 M12

"By 5 M12 the discoveries of Prometheus Station, applications of the Orion Patents, and the demands of war with the Goa'uld led to a number of significant military developments. In these first steps forward the main source of advances was based on reverse-engineering of the components and systems of captured Goa'uld technology as opposed to direct reinvention. Contrary to how science fiction writers of the period assumed directly producing working copies of Goa'uld technology was far beyond the means of even the finest Terran scientists. Even with the assistance of prominent Jaffa defectors like Teal'c and Dr. Sroda Goa'uld reliance on genetic memory meant the best understanding available was a sense of function as opposed to the theoretical basis of these developments. In spite of all this examination of component parts like superconducting materials, memory systems, high-density alloys, and naquadah technology played key roles in laying the foundation for future leaps in technology across the board.

One of the more basic applications for superconductors was in the field of rail gun systems. Early prototypes and working models were under development prior to First Contact and these new materials kicked off a major revolution in the technology. Extensive practical experience and theoretical exploration, thanks to the growth of maglev networks Earthside, gave Terran researchers critical experience in working with magnetics on large and small scales. These experiences dovetailed magnificently with ongoing, far earlier experiments in railgun technology by military researchers the world over.

By 2 M12 the first major rail gun models for maritime and stellar warships were entering deployment in the United States, Britain, and France followed by China two years later. These weapons systems were capable of firing solid slug projectiles and specially prepared missiles. They were also adapted for launching aircraft, space probes, and aerospacecraft. These early, bulky rail guns were a powerful jump forward for the Terran people for interstellar defense.

One of the more well-known applications of many of these early advances in superconducting materials were the famous Mark 1 Hercules Powered Armor Suits. These massive suits were the first example of powered armor in Terran history. While somewhat clunky and unsophisticated compared to modern armor systems the Hercules suits were a major leap forward in infantry combat. Hercules suits were developed to meet the needs of gate-based warfare. In the early moments of securing a contested world any troops charging through were at considerable risk of being cut down by enemy fire. Herculeses, with their heavy battle armor and powerful weapons loadout of twin miniguns and a grenade launcher, could plow through heavy enemy fire while dishing out considerable punishment of their own.

Of all the major discoveries made by the SGC nahquadah was one of the most significant. A highly powerful, versatile material naquadah was used for everything from power generation for Goa'uld warships to use as a highly dense, effective material for constructing interstellar ships and as a powerful superconducting material by the Ancients for constructing Stargates. The discovery of these uses and duplication of Goa'uld power generation and refinement technologies made the construction of interstellar warships and starfighters possible. Naquadah was also used in weapons technology to provide powerful, enhanced warheads for interstellar weapons to give Terran ships and anti-ship defenses a much stronger punch. The first attempted use of such a weapon was during First Contact and though these weapons failed they gave SGC researchers valuable data for understanding how to better refine and apply weaponized naquadah.

The most spectacular of all technological developments were the first truly stellar vessels in Terran history. These first ships, as would be the case with all Terran vessels to the present day, took their cues from submarine maritime vessels. This was due to the great deal of similarity between the environments stellar and submerged vessels operated in. Much like a ship in the ocean depths a ship in space was surrounded by an environment inherently hostile to the human crew onboard. Further adding to the similarities of circumstances was the impact of gravity in deep space. Much like thermoclines, currents, and underwater gravity fields and stellar objects presented obstacles and problems for navigators and ship systems. It was for these reasons the submarine and maritime models of discipline, tradition, and custom became the driving forces in shaping Terran interstellar design.

The first ships launched by Terra were the SGC-designed Sentinel class System Defense Ship in 3 M12 and the Chinese-designed Mao class Defense Ship in 4 M12. The first SDSs were outfitted with powerful sensors, powered by naquadah, carried a battery of rail guns for solid and missile projectiles, and launching and retrieval bays for satellites. By the end of 5 M12 a total of five such ships were in service with two under the US Space Forces, one funded and staffed by a joint British Commonwealth program, one launched under the EU, and the sole Mao launched by the People's Republic of China. To support these ships the IOC and SCO authorized the construction of small orbital refueling and repair outposts in high Earth orbit. These humble stations were the first of many to fill the skies above Terra.

Aerospacecraft went hand in hand with the System Defense Ships. With their design based heavily on concepts and applications in use by Goa'uld Death Gliders the first aerospacecraft were meant for close orbital defense and supporting the SDS' in their long range patrols. Equipped with their own sensor suits and engines powerful enough to achieve orbital flight unaided these fighters were faster than the system defense ships and had shorter range. aerospacecraft in these days largely operated on fuel cells charged by ship-based naquadah reactors or planetside installations, limiting their range to planetary patrols and limited range operations in-system. The first three examples of these vessels were the SGC-built Joint Starfighter, the Russian-built Gargarin Orbital Fighter, and the Chinese-built Chango-o. Each was substantially larger than atmospheric fighters with a crew of two and rail guns designed for solid shot and missiles. Terran aerospacecraft, while lacking some of the flashier technologies used on the Death Glider, were very formidable and as later events would prove more than capable of going toe to toe with Goa'uld fighters. As much as the System Lords scoffed at Terran weaponry the first aerosapcecraft were a solid match for Goa'uld fighters."

From Chapter Four: Military Innovations, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12

"The famous emergency January 12th meeting of the International Oversight Commission in the wake of Kinsey's attempted coup against President Al Gore was a decisive moment in the history of Stargate Command. Prior to this meeting the SGC was largely dominated by the United States. In terms of funding and personnel the US military establishment was responsible for the lion's share of the IOC's support. The IOC took its cues from the US military's priorities. The fallout of the Kinsey Coup would lead to a series of dramatic changes in this relationship. To understand how this happened we must first discuss the coup itself.

Early on the morning of January 12th 5 M12 Kinsey's forces, assisted by moles inside of President-elect Gore's Secret Service detail and led by Colonel Maybourne, launched a raid on his home in Tennessee aiming to take him captive. A fierce firefight broke out and Gore's loyal bodyguards successfully held off his would-be captors to flee to Marine One. In spite of this Kinsey openly claimed he succeeded in arresting Gore, hoping his personnel would manage to correct this mistake. He had reason to believe this would take place as his troops were in hot pursuit of the fleeing helicopter and other forces would soon be mobilized to lock down DC and other likely locations.

Unfortunately for him the mass demonstrations in the street, spearheaded by Globalist activists, stymied these plans for a mobilization of stateside assets and National Guard. Where units did respond at least part of the motivation for their actions was fierce opposition to the Globalists, loyalty to Kinsey, or general fear and confusion leading to kneejerk responses aimed at maintaining order. In cases like the attempted crackdowns in Oakland, Chicago, New York, and Dallas the violence was more due to such local animosities than loyalty to Kinsey. The disruption of transportation networks, the outright refusal of many US troops to obey orders of questionable legitimacy, and rapid action on the part of the SGC meant much of the military support Kinsey and his cohorts would need to cement their position was not materializing.

All of this hung in the balance at the emergency meeting. Much of the IOC was loathe to interfere in the domestic politics of any nation, much less one as powerful as the United States. Hammond and his supporters countered these claims by arguing the lack of legitimacy for Kinsey's claims along with the danger to Earth's defense posed by prolonged instability in the most critical supporter of the IOC and SGC. What finally broke the impasse was a compromise solution. The IOC would recommend to their respective governments denunciations of Kinsey's actions and tip the balance in the struggle by allowing all US personnel to directly intervene.

The timing could not have been better. Marine One had been successfully shot down by MANPAD fire in the Appalachian Mountains forcing Gore and his defenders to continue on foot. North of Big Lick, Virginia Maybourne's special forces caught up with them and succeeded in overpowering Gore's Secret Service guards, taking him captive. As luck would have it SG Team Operations Groups 1 and 3 tracked Maybourne's call for backup and zeroed in on his position with a captured and repurposed Goa'uld Al-kesh. Gore and the surviving Secret Service members were whisked away by ring transporter while the SG Teams moved in on the remaining enemy troops. A fierce battle erupted between the two forces but in the end the SG personnel succeeded in defeating Maybourne's troops and capturing him alive.

The moment Gore arrived in Washington DC by helicopter and addressed the masses gathered in protest of Kinsey's coup everything came undone for the would-be President. Gore, in his address, presented irrefutable proof he was free of Goa'uld infestation. Military forces, who were previously standing down, immediately mobilized for action to secure the White House and take Kinsey alive. Police and National Guard withdrew from the streets as the populace continued to resist. When news of Kinsey's arrest reached the airwaves the throngs erupted in celebration worldwide. The Coup was over.

In the Coup's wake critical restructuring took place at the IOC. All the participating nations dramatically increased their support and commitment, determined to ensure any sort of political upheaval would not pose a threat to the defense of Terra. To solidify a truly international policy for Stargate Command the IOC nations, using the loss of credibility suffered by the United States as leverage, entered into new secret negotiations to redefine the relationship of the member-nations military forces and the IOC. The end result would be the Portsmouth Treaty On December 8th, 5 M12. Under the terms of the Treaty all forces attached to the SGC were to permanently stay under IOC control and could only interfere in domestic affairs in the event of proven Goa'uld intrusion. These internationalized forces, basing their structure on the expanded UN Peacekeeping Forces, were to always stand at the ready for a possible Goa'uld attack before all other concerns. After Portsmouth Stargate Command was firmly on the path of becoming Terra's first truly planetary defense force."

From Chapter 5: The Kinsey Coup and the Internationalization of the SGC, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12

"We, as a species, stand at a precipice. On Earth we must find ways to live in harmony with the world around us in every way possible. Out in the stars we face a threat unprecedented in history. Only recently the fears motivated by the Goa'uld threat led to an attempt by members of my own government to seize control and chart a course they thought would keep us safe.

Thankfully the people of the United States refused to accept these illegal, misguided, actions. We stand, united, in our commitment to work together with the rest of the world in ensuring our shared security from alien domination. Only through our division can the Goa'uld succeed in their design. Working together we can ensure a brighter future for everyone.  
It is in this spirit of unity I call for a re-evaluation of our national priorities. As President I will redouble our commitment to planetary and interstellar defense. Under my Administration American support for the Planetary Defense Accords, the United Nations, and humanity's security will never be in doubt. The future of humanity is clear and we must take decisive actions in making the best possible world reality."

From President Al Gore's Inauguration Address, January 20th, 5 M12

"Branding a Goa'uld as a rogue is a practice going back to the beginning of Ra's rule thousands of years ago. The first such Goa'uld to be declared a rogue and enemy of the empire was Ra's predecessor and nemesis Sokar during his war for the office of Supreme System Lord. Following his success and Sokar's fall from power Ra consolidated his position by declaring Sokar's territories up for grabs. Rather than directly distribute the systems and resources of Sokar to the various System Lords who supported him Ra encouraged them to fight it out, initiating his policy of divide and rule that would last until his death during the first Stargate expedition.

All Goa'uld who directly threatened Ra or succeeded in earning the ire of enough of the System Lords to force Ra's hand would suffer a similar fate. Any Goa'uld, usually a System Lord though it was not unheard of for unlanded Goa'uld and powerful Underlords to suffer the same fate, declared a rogue by the Supreme System Lord or the Council of System Lords was fair game for all Goa'uld with enough ambition and power to take advantage of the decree. On the surface this makes little sense as the feudal nature of the Goa'uld along with the long-running conflicts between System Lords, many fostered by Ra and his allies, ensured conflict between the System Lords was the norm.

When one digs deeper the danger of such a decree becomes clear. Ra's policy of divide and rule, while often characterized by constant conflict between rival System Lords, had a sense of clear limitations. Plotting, feuds, and occasional border conflicts or indecisive wars were largely tolerated under Ra's rule as these kept the System Lords too busy to turn on him or plot against his rule. If, however, one System Lord ran the risk of decisively defeating another and achieve a disproportionate amount of military power Ra would decisively intervene to maintain a favorable status quo.

Ra's justification was claiming all System Lords under his rule, unlike Sokar's, would be secure in their estates and holdings so long as they did not rebel against Ra himself. For any System Lord to substantially violate the rights of another System Lord was cast as intolerable. This won him the loyalty of many Underlords and lesser System Lords building a base for his empire. Declaring a Goa'uld rogue removed this guarantee. Rogue Goa'uld of any rank lost their right to holdings and their lives. Their possessions, including their slaves and Jaffa, were open for the taking by any Goa'uld who could enforce their claims by right of conquest. The mechanism of rogue status became a deadly tool in the System Lords' political maneuvers and a powerful weapon for destroying threats to Ra's rule.

The destabilization of the empire following Ra's death, to the surprise of many historians, did little to change this. The System Lords fighting for the supreme position were seeking to establish control over the empire as opposed to directly conquering as much territory as possible. They worked as much through political maneuvering, diplomacy, and subterfuge to subvert their rivals' supporters and re-capture as they did through open battle. Born out of a desire to maintain the Goa'uld's dominant position in the face of threats like the Asgard this preserved the special status rogues held in Goa'uld society but with key changes. A rogue in the realm of one System Lord could often find welcome in the realm of their foes, giving rise to a new culture of wandering Goa'uld shuttling from one world to another. Only a handful, mostly holdovers from Ra's rule or the few decreed rogue by the Council of System Lords, were truly unwelcome in all Goa'uld territories.

Even still the state of general conflict during the Goa'uld Succession War gave these rogues new opportunities which did not exist before. In the past, prior to the Succession War, Ra's limits on internal strife and his unquestioned dominance meant decrees of rogue status were a death sentence. The struggle for dominance between the many System Lords changed this. The most powerful like Apophis, Kronus, and Heru'ur were more interested in keeping their vassals in line and were not averse to using rogues to undermine their rivals. Those who clung to their independence, like Bastet, Yu, Pelops, Morrigan, and Olakun, lacked the resources to take advantage of rogue status instead focusing on maintaining their domains and preventing any of the claimants for the title of Supreme System Lord from focusing on conquering them. This was all assisted quietly by the Tok'ra who encouraged a state of intensifying strife through misinformation, sabotage, and assassinations.

One of the best examples of a rogue System Lord who turned the strife of the Succession War in their favor was Nirrti. Nirrti was a minor System Lord during Ra's empire who maintained her position by performing genetic experiments for Ra. Following his death Nirrti feared for the security of her domain and got to work building a web of secret bases across the galaxy. Her indiscriminate raids on Goa'uld worlds for genetic material and the general distrust amongst the other System Lords did not endear her and the assassination attempt on Kronus during the Protected Planets Treaty re-negotiations would see her declared rogue by the System Lords during the Succession War period. Her downfall seemingly assured Nirrti managed to escape Kronus' custody and continue her research in secret largely unmolested by her foes. If not for the success of Operation MENGELE, a joint IOC-SCO campaign targeting Nirrti's holdings, in killing the rogue System Lord she could have easily survived the Succession War and continued her work on the behalf of the new Supreme System Lord.

Another was Sokar. As the prior ruler of the Goa'uld Empire to Ra's takeover thousands of years before the Holocene Era Sokar was the first Goa'uld rogue. Following his defeat, Ra's takeover, and the division of his domain many assumed Sokar was dead, an assumption actively encouraged by the new Supreme System Lord. In truth Sokar had fled to the distant world of Delmak and there he slowly rebuilt his power and position. Over the following centuries he launched his own raids on Earth, other Goa'uld worlds, and succeeded in recruiting a number of exiled Jaffa to fill out his armies. Even still Sokar was careful not to confront the Empire directly or alert Ra or any other System Lord to his presence.

Ra's death and the Goa'uld Succession War gave Sokar the opening he needed. The conflict between the System Lords made it far easier for Sokar to openly seize abandoned worlds, pick off pieces of other Goa'uld domains, and consolidate his position. Rumors of his existence began to spread but many dismissed these attacks as the work of renegade Jaffa, deception by their rivals, or Tok'ra treachery. Apophis' reversal at Earth during First Contact, Ba'al's declaration of independence from his former overlord, and the combined offensive of Kronus and Heru'ur against the Serpent Lord's rule would see Sokar make his more dramatic return to Goa'uld society.

In 2 M12 Sokar launched a series of crushing attacks on Apophis' domain with his ships and troops openly displaying his soon to be notorious inverted star. Much of Apophis' remaining domain crumbled as Sokar, aided by opportunistic attacks by Kronus and Ba'al, swiftly captured the Serpent Lord himself along with many of his remaining slaves, Jaffa, ships, and worlds. Sokar swiftly followed up with a series of rapid ambushes crippling Kronus and Heru'ur's overextended forces. This rapid, sudden expansion was only possible thanks to the general chaos of the Goa'uld Succession War as the conflict's dynamic changed from the three-sided division of Kronus, Apophis, and Heru'ur to a five sided war between Sokar, Kronus, Heru'ur, Ba'al, and the newly-formed League of Independent System Lords led by Yu."

From Chapter 5: The Beginning of the End of Goa'uld Dominance, _Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12


	5. Chapter 5: The Widening Gyre

**Chapter 5: The Widening Gyre**

Mistra rushed down the hall of the Thessalika outpost, feeling the swish of the heavy robes expected of all servants of Kronus, as alarms blared throughout the complex. Mistra knew from their past year of undercover work, following blending with the mortally wounded MI6 Agent Robin Jackson, Planet Lord(1) Mephistopheles did not tolerate tardiness when a general call was put out. Mistra was not surprised by the casual brutality the planetary governor dished out to his subordinates for even the most minor of infractions, having seen similar behavior from other Planet Lords and Underlords on previous assignments. Agent Jackson, on the other hand, was stunned and flabbergasted by such a regime. In their eyes Mephistopheles was a demanding, unforgiving martinet desperate to maintain control, keep his underlings in line, and impress his superiors. Only the most brutal dictators would have subjected soldiers to public flogging for not polishing their equipment to a mirror finish at general callup or execute officers for minor lapses in security protocol. The unrestrained sadism of the Goa'uld was one of many things Jackson was still getting used to following her joining with Mistra.

Mistra skidded to a stop just before walking into the main hall, taking a few deep breaths and readying their best regal posture. As they strode in they heard the booming voice of Mephistopheles calling the assembled Goa'uld functionaries and Jaffa officers to attention. "Now that we are assembled just barely on time," bellowed the arrogant petty tyrant, "I would like to introduce all of you to a very important visitor from the court of our Lord Kronus." Mephistopheles gestured to a cloaked figure directly to his right as they drew back their hood saying, "Welcome Setesh, a most favored advisor of Kronus, to Thessalika. It is my hope you find everything to our master's satisfaction here."

Mistra stiffened as they heard the name. According to Tok'ra intelligence Setesh, also known as Seth, had disappeared following the Earth uprising and the attempted coup by Isis and Osiris. The SGC suspected the missing Goa'uld was connected with a First Contact mass suicide in Montana based on post-facto research but all they had was speculation to support this conclusion. His sudden appearance as an advisor of Kronus would be a shock to the IOC and the Tok'ra High Council. "You are all to assist Setesh," droned Mephistopheles, "as if he were me. If I hear of any failure to meet his expectations you will answer to me."

Setesh laughed an easy languid chuckle before saying, "I'm sure everything will be to our master's satisfaction. This is nothing more than a routine inspection of a key support base for our Lord Kronus' operations against that rogue Sokar. Please carry on as normal, I'm certain we have nothing to worry about here." Mephistopheles, clearly more on edge than Setesh, barked out, "You heard him! You are all dismissed, return to your posts immediately!" Mistra exhaled slowly, heading out of the main hall to his regular duty post in the communications section of the temple. As he headed out a hand reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder followed by a shout of, "You there!" Mistra turned around to see Setesh glaring into his eyes. "You are new here, aren't you?" he said as that piercing gaze searched Mistra's face. "Yes my lord, I was transferred here from service for Underlord Telakun." Setesh lingered a moment longer before saying, "Carry on with your duties."

Mistra didn't draw breath until Setesh was out of sight. This new visitor was going to complicate things. Kronus liked sending his trusted advisors on surprise inspection tours to keep his underlings on their toes. With the sudden return of Sokar, Apophis' collapse, and the increasing number of Jaffa rebellions across Goa'uld space Kronus was more on edge than ever. Every surprise inspection brought with it additional security, changes in protocol and passcodes, and increased nervousness from every Planet and Underlord receiving an unwanted inspector. That it was Setesh, a long-sought after fugitive with centuries of direct experience with Earth and a total unknown, would make the operation even trickier to pull off.  
Mistra rushed back to the communications center hurriedly entering the latest passcode into the crystal matrix. They didn't have much time until the op went into motion and the intel they'd recovered would be vital to the alliance's war against the System Lords. Even though Thessalika wasn't a frontline world it did have a Stargate, making it a critical link in Kronus' supply chains. Everything on the front with Heru'ur was funneled through the system whether it consisted of weapons and supplies bound for action or damaged equipment and wounded Jaffa in need of immediate assistance. As much as Thessalika would be a perfect target for sabotage what Mistra was after would be of even greater significance than throwing a wrench into Kronus' vast war machine.

As the code sequence finished processing Mistra placed their hand onto the ID pad and waited for the scan to finish. Every moment it took for the scanner to complete its work Mistra was silently hoping they wouldn't be interrupted. Extracting the central data crystal from this part of the temple was far from what one would call a routine operation. All it would take for the better part of a year's hard work to go right down the drain was one unlucky visit by any of the other personnel in the temple along with Mistra's neck. Jackson was just as on edge as her symbiont. She always got this edgy during tough operations, loathing the waiting knowing full well everything could explode at any moment without warning. In her experience an operation like this never went according to plan and even when everything went smoothly, as it was in spite of Setesh's surprise visit, chaos was always lurking around the corner one small step away.

The long wait, in truth only lasting a few seconds but feeling like an eternity, snapped to an end when the palm scanner beeped. A small panel opened as the glowing white central data crystal they'd waited so long to take slid out from inside the machine. Mistra felt their breath catch a moment before reaching out and very slowly, carefully removing the crystal and palming a fake crystal into the slot. Just as they finished removing their prize and slipping the ringer into place they heard the blare of an alarm hooting through the complex. Almost in a panic Mistra quickly tucked the data crystal into their robes and rushed out of the room, silently cursing under their breath. _They weren't supposed to be here yet,_ thought Mistra before Robin Jackson responded, _And since when has any plan gone ahead without any hiccups?_ Mistra sighed internally replying, _I know you are used to Tau'ri operations where you are always making it up as you go along but Tok'ra missions are never this messy._ Jackson laughed dryly before saying, _Are you going to stay on that answer? You know I've seen inside your head Mistra, don't try to tell me the Tok'ra have NEVER had to fly by the seat of their pants before. We'll be just fine and the people at the SGC know what they are doing_. Mistra groaned inwardly before replying, _I hope you're right_.

As she rushed through the hall he saw Jaffa soldiers running towards him. Mistra breathed in deep, carefully reaching for a hidden zat'nik'tel while silently preparing what would be the most desperate fight of both their lives, when much to their surprise the Jaffa rushed right past them. Mistra relaxed their grip on the hidden weapon, silently more thankful than they ever had been at any other time in their life, realizing the alarm was not for them. Thinking quickly they shouted at the lead warrior, "Jaffa kree?" The line skidded to a halt as the warrior replied, "Tau'ri intruders have broken through the outer perimeter." Mistra nodded, barking, "Lead me to them." The Jaffa file leader nodded, moving his men down the hall as he gestured the rest forward.

Mistra heard the rattle of gunfire off in the distance and contrary to all of Agent Jackson's MI-6 training and Mistra's Tok'ra experience rushed towards the lead hailstorm. The Jaffa charged down the hall and were swiftly blasted to pieces in a storm of bullets as German voices echoed through the corridor. Mistra turned the corner and threw up their hands shouting "I surrender!" Four masked, armed soldiers advanced cautiously with G-36s raised before the lead soldier said in accented English, "Throw down your weapon and turn around." Mistra dropped their zat and offered their arms as the lead officer put them in cuffs. The soldiers of SG-8 pulled Mistra in closer just as another troop of Jaffa turned the corner lead by Setesh himself. Setesh locked eyes with Mistra just before the air shimmered around them as Mistra felt the indescribable rush of instantaneous teleportation.

1\. Planet Lord is the title awarded to a Goa'uld responsible for the activities, operations, and governance of a single planet, comparable to a baron in feudal Europe. Multiple Planet Lords report to specific Underlords who are in turn under the rule of specific System Lords.

"One of the key developments during the post-Contact period was in the field of energy generation and distribution. The new innovations in this field were as much thanks to the Orion Patents as they were to major changes in global policy. Technological developments made it possible for far greater volumes of energy to be generated and transmitted over longer distances. The growing trend towards regional consolidation laid the foundation for massive power grids and increased efficiency of use.

In the field of renewable power solar energy would experience a new surge. This field was in its infancy prior to Contact and the reverse engineering of superconductors led to a surge in energy generation and efficiency of capture. One of the main drawbacks of pre-Contact solar power was the limited efficiency of photovoltaic cells. This limited how widely solar power could be installed and how much of a return on energy could be expected. Post-Contact solar cells surged forward in efficiency resulting in far greater rates of capture. By 4 M12 the average efficiency rate for the new solar cells exceeded 53% with researchers predicting even greater improvements by the end of the decade. This made it possible for solar power to be used for powering vehicles, homes, and in space all of which could be stored in bulk by more sophisticated batteries developed care of Prometheus Station.

Fusion power was another field that would surge forward following Contact. The capture of Goa'uld ships and weaponry provided multiple working examples of naquadah generators, all of which were based on the principles of fusion power. The combination of captured generators, the reverse engineering of superconducting materials, more powerful computers, and more sophisticated electromagnets paved the way for native development of fusion power. These first leaps forward were all thanks to the steady flow of new discoveries from the numerous research outposts and installations sponsored by the SGC and the SCO.

The two main types of fusion generators developed during the post-Contact period were naquadah and thorium fueled reactors. Naquadah powered fusion reactors were a more direct re-engineering of Goa'uld technology and required very little in the way of naquadah for fuel. The first prototypes of these systems came online in 1 M12 and rapidly came into use on bases and to power the first System Defense Ships. These highly limited military applications for early naquadah generators were thanks to how little naquadah was available for Earth-based forces. All in-system sources of naquadah, as geologists would confirm, had been mined out centuries before during the Goa'uld occupation of the planet limiting sourcing to what could be mined offworld or taken from the Goa'uld.

The 3 M12 patenting of the new thorium reactor was the solution to this problem. Thorium was far more readily available on Terra than naquadah, was relatively safe to handle, and offered many of the necessary qualities for power generation. Thorium plants, with the first coming online in 6 M12, rapidly put all fossil-fuel driven sources of power generation out of business in a very short span of time. Already compatible with pre-existing power grid systems the thorium plants became the bedrock for planetside energy production with virtually no waste and enormous returns on energy.  
The increased power production was made even more potent with the development of superconducting power transmission cables. These cables made it possible for energy with far greater efficiency than ever before.

The lack of resistance for power transmission greatly increased the efficiency and distance energy could be moved. These advantages increased grid capacity and, when coupled with new storage systems, reduced how much fuel it took to keep everything running. Alone these new superconducting materials would have presented a major surge forward for electrical generation. When combined with the greater push towards new continent-spanning trade blocs and federations these inventions resulted in a quantum leap worldwide, pushing Earth to a 1.1 on Sagan's Kardashev Scale for energy production in 6 M12.

Worldwide the growing trend towards regional federations, trade blocs, and international organizations paved the way for international and continental integrations of national power grids. This push predates First Contact by just a year with the first European projects and following Contact the growth of the many transnational federations made such projects far more attractive. The European projects received a major boost following the early 1 M12 invention of the superconducting power cable. This pioneering effort would be the first in many continental grid synchronization projects.

The first regional bloc to follow the EU's example was UNASUR. This relatively new continental federation and its supporters saw building a continental grid linking all of South America would be the perfect testbed for large-scale projects and shoring up UNASUR's legitimacy. In 2 M12 in Quito the Council of Ministers formally announced the new project. The planners set the year 8 M12 as their target for bringing every national grid into synchronization and 11 M12 for bringing electricity to 95% of all South Americans. A year after the project was announced the first new superconductor lines connecting the Brazilian and Argentinian grids went online with all indicators arguing the goal of total synchronization by 8 M12 goal was well on its way to happening.

Next to join the regional integration game was, to the surprise of many, North Africa. The new Muslim Brotherhood government following the overthrow of the Mubarak military regime made establishing Egyptian influence across the region as a main priority. The Maghrebi Grid Agency was the perfect example for showcasing Egyptian wealth, modernity, and the potential the Brotherhood offered for the Middle East. The project saw many setbacks making halting steps forward with the first agreements laying the foundation for later work only being approved in 4 M12 and the first construction beginning in 6 M12. In spite of these early problems the MGA succeeded in bringing all the grids of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Morocco into full synchronization by 9 M12."

From Chapter Five: Building the Global Grid, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12

"WOLF BLITZER: Anti-police brutality demonstrations continue nationwide for the third straight day. Demonstrators are out in the streets demanding justice for the recent shooting death of Derrick Jackson in an altercation with the police in Oakland, CA. We go now live in the field to Anderson Cooper. Anderson?

*cuts away to the streets of Oakland. Tear gas and smoke is floating freely in the background over a battered Broadway as broken glass, makeshift barricades, rubber bullets, and occasional bloodstains on the street.*

ANDERSON COOPER: Thanks Wolf. Moments ago riot police ordered the dispersal of a crowd of two thousand people gathered in the early morning hours. According to eyewitness reports the crowd refused to budge and the police moved to break up the crowd.

*faint crackle of gunfire and gas launchers in the background*

WOLF BLITZER: Do you think the planned demonstrations for later in the day will be going forward?

ANDERSON COOPER: From everything I'm hearing the local activists are not planning on backing down anytime soon. They are claiming 100,000 will be taking to the streets tonight and they intend to shut the city and the port down until tomorrow morning.

WOLF BLITZER: Thank you Anderson Cooper in Oakland. Ever since the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Lucinda(1) African-American activists across the country have been rallying against what describe as the systemic injustices suffered by their communities. Recently a number of environmental groups and labor unions have rallied in solidarity with the activists, joining in on the nationwide Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Action. Our analysts estimate some two million people have taken to the streets in the past few days.

*Gestures to a map showing the United States. Every area with a population of at least 200,000 people is marked as a site for demonstrations with a red dot. Much of the country is covered in them.*

WOLF BLITZER: Overseas sympathy demonstrations have seen hundreds of thousands come out in the streets across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. The Gore Administration issued a statement yesterday calling for calm saying they are currently reviewing the grievances of the demonstrators."

The Situation Room, CNN, Broadcast January 18th, 7 M12

1\. TTL's Hurricane Katrina. The damage is less bad but happening in conjunction with the Kinsey Coup, the growth of street activism across the board, and a few highly public cases of police murders of young Black Americans under dubious conditions made it a major breaking point.

"The impact of the Kinsey Coup on global cultural development was enormous. Prior to the Coup the United States of America was considered to be the single most powerful nation on the planet. Even with First Contact and its immediate upheaval American power on the global stage was largely unchallenged by the other major world powers. In the world of culture American influence in the wake of the Cold War period and First Contact was unchallenged with American movies, television, and music dominating global popular culture.

Kinsey's Coup shattered this status quo. Domestically speaking the usual confidence Americans had in their own country, the phenomenon of American Exceptionalism, took a serious blow. A country that saw itself as the shining beacon of democracy and progress, a city on a hill had undergone something without precedent in their entire history. Even the turmoil during the Vietnam War didn't match the levels of self-doubt that set in following the Coup. Across the social and political spectrum the sense of special destiny was shattered leading to a wave of darkly critical, more introspective works as Americans grappled with the coup's fallout. Many who specialize in this period argue this inward turn laid the foundation for the wave of mass demonstrations, political reform, and domestic upheaval that would follow. The push towards introspection coupled with the growing domination of the Internet in mass media saw American cultural exports decline leaving a broader vacuum for other cultural exports to fill.

Two of the biggest competitors on the world stage for American cultural products, in terms of sales, volume of export, and size and distribution of audience, were those of the increasingly cohesive European Union, the People's Republic of China, and India. During the 990s M11 and the immediate post-Contact period these powers were rising forces culturally and with the Kinsey Coup this dynamic only accelerated. European music, Chinese action films and historical dramas, and Indian Bollywood and fashion exploded worldwide. By 7 M12 American cultural exports, for the first time since the end of the World Wars(1), were no longer number one in the global market sinking to number three overall by year's end.

This environment was the world Terranism as a cohesive ideology came together. The Terranists did not come from a vacuum having been preceded by the proto-Terranist factions, First Contact, and growing economic globalization. Without these factors the Terranist movement would never have emerged in the first place but the period of cultural change and transformation taking place following the Kinsey Coup had a very critical impact on the nature and particulars of Terranism. The name of the movement itself came from a manifesto released by the United Earth Federation, a coalition of political, labor, environmental, and local community groups from around the world, on February 8th 6 M12 titled, "Building the Future for Humanity". The name for the movement itself would be coined years later following the explosion of research and popular interest in the Ancients care of the first publication of the works of Daniel Jackson on this topic, including works on the Ancient language, in 9 M12. These works directly inspired the decision by many in the developing planetary unification movement to use the Ancient word for Earth, Terra, to refer to the homeworld of humanity.

Central to Terranist philosophy and ideas was the importance of global, and later pan-species, unity against the Goa'uld. Formed in reaction to the threat posed by invasion and conquest from the stars this globally shared fear was the foundation the entire ideology would be built on. This shared fear for humanity's survival was the glue yet was far from the only thing making the Terranists a cohesive movement. A number of different ideologies during the proto-Terranist period competed for who would emerge as the dominant strain calling for global unification. The ultimate form of the Terranist movement would be thanks to the ultimate ascendancy of those commonly referred to by historians as the Globalist tendency. The ideals of the movements identified as Globalist played a key role in forming the broader answers the Terranists would offer to the big socio-economic questions facing humanity.

Central to the vision of Terranism was the firm belief that Earth's diversity, conflict, and broad range of cultural expression was key to the planet's ability to resist the Goa'uld. They argued it was this history that made it possible for Terrans to advance to a technological level and develop effective forms of social organization that the rediscovery of the Stargate put them in the ideal position to resist the Goa'uld. They further claimed celebrating and preserving this diversity would be key to continuing to resist the Goa'uld effectively and achieve ultimate victory.

This commitment to diversity manifested not just in the propaganda and messaging of the UEF but also in their platform. The UEF advocated for reforming the UN to a global parliament representing all people on a planetary level with substantial regional autonomy for day to day policy implementation. They claimed that unity could not lead to one size fits all solutions. Some claim this position was not, as many UEF stalwarts argued, a purely ideological one. Any attempt at forging a single planetary government would have to give room to established, powerful nations in Earth politics. Forcing them to submit to a more unitary approach would have been doomed from the start. One can also say the same of their stance on heavy investment in interstellar technologies and reverse engineering.

The main place where the UEF truly stood out was on the question of human rights. Using the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions as the foundation of their theories and arguments the UEF called for the recognition and protection of universal human rights for all humans in the known universe. The UEF position was the commitment to genuine human rights was what set Terra apart from the brutal Goa'uld and was as central to Terran identity as the human form. To abandon this commitment, they reasoned, was a price too high to pay in pursuit of victory over the Goa'uld. Many would use this rallying call for human rights in later years as justification for war with the crumbling Goa'uld Empire."

1\. A period of near-constant conflict encompassing multiple conflicts on a global scale beginning in 915 M11 with the outbreak of fighting in Europe over the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and ending in 950 M11 with the end of the Chinese Civil War. This was a period of intense turmoil, warfare, and revolution. The most intense periods of conflict raged from 915-919 M11 and 937-946 M11 with the years between 919 and 937 M11 commonly referred to as the Interbellum years.

From Chapter 4: Upheaval and Revolt, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

"SHAHIRA AMIN: Earlier today King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia formally rejected President Muhammad al-Din's offer to join the roundtable discussions for a new framework for regional economic integration. King Abdullah made the following statement:

KING ABDULLAH: We refuse to submit to the encroaching power of Egyptian imperialism in the Middle East. The Muslim Brotherhood presents a false understanding of the Will of the Prophet and the wrong way forward for the Arab world.

AMIN: Saudi Arabia is the most prominent but not the first Arab League member to reject participation in the proposed negotiations. In spite of this President al-Din has vowed to press forward with the new trade agreement.

PRESIDENT MUHAMMAD AL-DIN: Only through unity across the Muslim and Arab world can we hope to keep up in the modern world. Allah has given us the test of the Goa'uld and we must not shy away from it. By following the example of the European Union we hope to build a future for the Muslim World.

AMIN: In spite of this setback the proposed trade reforms, modeled on the EU's example including the Schengen Area, have garnered considerable support. The governments of Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Oman, Jordan, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates have all agreed to participate in the talks hosted in al-Iskandriya taking place in October. Many analysts express hope these discussions will benefit the entire region in spite of the abstinence of the majority of the Gulf States, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia."

From _Egypt Today_ , broadcast on July 18th, 6 M12 on Nile TV.

"One of the most critical elements of the Contact period was the steady decline of American power. Many students of history in the present day often express surprise at the sudden decline of US power internationally considering only a little over a decade before it stood as the most powerful nation on Earth. Historians have come to understand the causes of this decline is thanks to a combination of factors. The first was the Kinsey Coup and the intense domestic turmoil in its aftermath. The resulting upheaval left the United States in a position where there was little, if any, domestic support for foreign adventurism and kept the focus of policymakers on the demands of a now roused and angry public. The second was the growth and consolidation of the first regional superstates like the EU, UNASUR, the African Union, and the Arab League. These rising powers became a potent counterweight to the US in international affairs, forcing changes to the international situation. By the end of this period the framework for global unification was in place.

The unprecedented Kinsey Coup triggered a series of revealing investigations into the inner workings of the US government unseen since the resignation of President Richard Nixon. The most famous was the Feingold Commission on Anti-Constitutional Activities. The Feingold Commission investigated was given a broad mandate by Congress to investigate how it was possible that key elements of the US government all the way up to the Vice President were involved in a coup plot against President Gore. The Feingold Commission's famous televised hearings and investigation took over a year to complete digging into all aspects of US government. Very little remained outside of the commission's scrutiny with the SGC being one of the few exceptions to this rule. The Feingold Commission's final report would implicate thousands of US government officials, corporate officers, and a number of highly influential Occidentalist think tanks. By the time the dust settled generals, admirals, FBI supervisors, CIA section heads and assistant directors, the head of the NSA, and numerous corporate executives would be ousted and convicted to life terms in prison for treason.

This was far from the only effect of the Feingold Commission's report. Much of it exposed numerous other violations of the law and Constitutional principles putting many examples of hidden corruption in the public eye in a way that could not be ignored. This was further fueled by the mass demonstrations that helped halt the coup attempt leading to several instances of excessive force by police officers and the National Guard. Coupled with steadily growing grievances in America's minority communities against law enforcement violence, the swelling environmental movement, and calls for global social justice from the Globalist movement and evidence of corruption reaching the highest levels of policy implementation triggered an explosion of popular outrage. The worsening economic situation for many Americans only added to the list of reasons to take to the street.

The firestorm of demonstrations, direct action, and political activism caught many in positions of power off-guard and in a defensive position leading to many local and regional officials to fall back on their usual habits of confrontation and co-optation. This time, thanks to the massive collective experience of mobilizing against the Kinsey Coup, such tactics failed. Many of the street movements involved were in no mood to accept anything less than substantive, lasting changes instead of variations on business as usual and tactics of direct confrontation, like deploying riot police armed with less than lethal munitions, only inspired more fervent action. At the national level the cleanup from the fallout of the Feingold Report had many in positions of power scrambling to re-establish their legitimacy however possible. Regardless of specific policy decisions and actions the aggregate result was a United States with zero interest or bandwidth to effectively exert its influence in the world.

These domestic circumstances were further assisted by the rising power of the new superstates. Two of the strongest examples were the Union of South American Nations and the European Union. These two continental blocs united massive populations and commercial networks, creating a pair of very direct competitors for the United States in purely economic terms. Militarily speaking these blocs did not possess the global reach of the US military but in the wake of the PDA this was less important than it would have been in previous periods of human history. The growth of the Euro and Nuevo Peso were one key aspect, providing economic unity and easing the movement of people and good throughout both regions.

Another that was just as critical was the development of genuinely multinational military forces by both power blocs. The EU's Euroforce had its first real test run during the Kosovo Intervention of 999 M11 and was further shaped by experience in the growing UN Peacekeeping Corps. All of this came together in 6 M12 with the establishment of the United European Command headquartered out of Brussels. The UEC consisted of a system of negotiated quotas of contributions of troops, munitions, and equipment from each EU nation into a single, combined military force. At the time of the founding of the UEC the expanded Euroforce had a total of 100,000 personnel ready for action with plans to further integrate the military forces of Europe into a genuinely combined military force. The main purpose of the expanded and reformed Euroforce was to spearhead peacekeeping operations, coordinate the common defense of the EU, and pool resources for development and improvement of military technology and tactics.

UNASUR's Ejército Combinado de América del Sur, founded on April 2nd, 6 M12, was a similar effort and directly inspired by Euroforce. Headquartered out of La Paz, Bolivia. ECAS has the same overall objectives, goals, and structure as Euroforce and the UN Peacekeepers and was aimed at providing cohesion, unity, and a common defense for UNASUR. ECAS received its baptism by fire later that year when the Colombian government requested deploying all of their 50,000 troops to decisively suppress the active, armed forces of the FARC. By the end of 7 M12 most of the FARC's armed strength, cocaine farms, and bases of support were decisively routed and the once-fearsome guerilla army reduced to a decentralized network with only a shadow of their former power. These new superstate forces at this point were a series of broad coalitions with combined command structures as opposed to continental military forces but even still they were a big leap forward in fostering regional and global unity.

Parallel to these developments was the reform and consolidation of the UN Peacekeeping Corps. During the pre-Contact period the Peacekeepers consisted of voluntary troop contributions to UN-approved operations as opposed to a genuine standing body of its own. Thanks to the success of earlier anti-piracy operations, stabilizing Somalia, and the Congo Intervention(1) support for the Peacekeepers was higher than ever. All of this came to a head following the Kinsey Coup and the fears of the damage a prolonged conflict or period of civil unrest could do to maintaining Earth's united defense. Shortly after the Coup's resolution British, French, Brazilian, and Russian representatives to the UN Security Council introduced Security Resolution 1583 concurrently with Assembly Resolution 59/309. S/RES 1583 and A/RES 59/203 called for all UN members to make mandatory contributions for direct funding and military assets for the UN Peacekeepers as a standing force of 500,000 personnel. These troops were to be housed in ten bases scattered around the world and consisted of land, airborne, and maritime transport assets. The Peacekeepers would have its own military hierarchy, standardized training, and could only be deployed by Security Council resolution. The reformed Peacekeeping Corps was a critical step forward for Terra, becoming the first truly global military force in Earth's history.

One of the first operations of the newly reformed Peacekeeping Corps was the Korean Intervention of 7 M12. For years prior to the intervention the ruler of the northern half the peninsula, Kim Jong Il, was increasingly seen as a threat to regional and global stability. Between his constant sabre-rattling, pursuit of a nuclear weapon, and the endless humanitarian crisis that was his government the only thing keeping him in power was support from the People's Republic of China. Unfortunately for him even this support was waning. First Contact, in particular the god-like stature of the Kim family in the region, soured many to governments like his. The turning point came in 4 M12 when President Hu Jintao gave his famous Korea Speech calling for a permanent, lasting resolution to the division plaguing the peninsula. Shortly after secret negotiations began between the People's Republic of China, the United States, and the Republic of Korea. The intent of these negotiations was to reach a mutually agreeable solution to the problem of the Kim regime. After intense negotiations all parties agreed a united, neutral Korea was vastly preferable to a divided one.

On March 8th, 7 M12 their plan was put into action. Elements of the northern military, with covert assistance from the People's Republic of China, placed Kim Jong Il under house arrest and declared the founding of a new provisional government. As one of their first acts in office the provisional authorities requested immediate assistance in stabilizing the domestic situation and humanitarian aid. In response the PRC introduced S/RES 1822 calling for the immediate deployment of 300,000 Peacekeepers to North Korea to stabilize the situation. A low grade civil war broke out between supporters of Kim's overthrow and followers of the old regime until April 16th when the Peacekeepers crossed the border. Better armed, equipped, and supplied than the coup's opponents the Peacekeepers rapidly stabilized the situation. Shortly after peace was established the provisional government requested formal unification with the Republic of Korea and, under A/RES 61/240, the Korea Reunification Agency was established to supervise the recovery and integration of the peninsula. To safeguard the newly united nation China, Japan, the US, and Australia all pledged to guarantee Korea's security and safety on the condition it remain in neutral in regional and global affairs."

From Chapter 3: The Changing Global Order, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

"The constant conflict and turmoil dominating the galaxy during the Goa'uld Succession War had a number of lateral consequences unanticipated by the warring System Lords. It is, however, understandable how these unanticipated effects could grow to such massive levels. Galactic warfare on the scale of the Succession War had not been seen since Ra's overthrow of Sokar thousands of years before. Even the periodic skirmishes and battles with the Asgard were fairly minor affairs compared to the mass mobilizations of troops, ships, and worlds by the combatants struggling for the throne. Millions of Jaffa, countless slaves, and thousands of ships would clash across millions of lightyears and hundreds of worlds. The devastation of such warfare was far beyond anything the Goa'uld had ever seen or experienced.

One of the most immediate consequences of the conflict was the impact on human and Jaffa populations. The demands of war saw many System Lords throwing vast numbers of personnel into battle on a scale none had ever anticipated. Unlike earlier conflicts between System Lords, which were usually fairly limited by Ra's command, Jaffa were being called up in huge enough numbers that many were fighting for long periods of time without any relief. Once-powerful fighting units like the Falcon Guard were ground to paste in the endless crush of battle. Surrender, usually a standard element of internal Goa'uld warfare, was rarely offered or asked for as System Lords were increasingly unlikely to trust such defectors as they had in the past. This made battle an increasingly dangerous, uncertain proposition for most Jaffa. The uncertainty of success and frequent stalemates added to the growing demoralization as many Jaffa began to question the infallibility of the beings they worshipped as gods.  
It was these factors that fueled the growth of the Free Jaffa movement.

As has been discussed previously the Free Jaffa movement was not the first case of rebellion against the Goa'uld. With the exception of groups like the Sodan most of these revolts burned out quickly as the leaders were either killed or exiled and their followers bought off with promises of new privileges and status. The status of loyal opposition Jaffa further discouraged revolt perpetuating the Goa'uld system of symbiont rule over enslaved human populations perpetuated and administered by the Jaffa. The breakdown of the previously long-accepted norms of the Jaffa-Goa'uld relationship ended this somewhat unstable status quo. Now Jaffa were being fed into the cauldron of war without any regard for the cost, dissenters were tarred as traitors and executed along with their families, and even long-serving loyal Jaffa found themselves victims of their masters for even the slightest infractions. Such an environment was a perfect atmosphere for widespread revolt.

Initially, following First Contact, most forms of Jaffa revolt took on the form of isolated or small unit defections. As news of Apophis' defeat at Earth spread many Jaffa began to question if one powerful System Lord could be undone by mere humans then perhaps their claims of divinity were unfounded. Some followed the example of the Sodan by seizing ships, taking up the name, and raiding the possessions of the System Lords for sustenance. Others successfully crossed the proverbial battle lines and willingly accepted offers of asylum from the IOC, the SCO, and other Terran-based interstellar forces becoming researchers, soldiers, and advisors to Terra's growing military might. The rest, like the Hak'tyl Moloc, went into hiding, slowly building networks of dissident Jaffa seeking ways to destroy the power of the Goa'uld. As the wars continued these defections increased and word of an alternative to the status quo, of Jaffa freedom and sovereignty, began to spread.

Side by side with growing Jaffa discontent and dissent was the hardship suffered by the humans enslaved by the Goa'uld. Warfare, in the past, had been somewhat targeted and thanks to the limitations Ra imposed to keep his underlings divided never reached the point of targeting enemy economic assets. The new war threw this assumption out the window. Inconclusive conflicts over vast fronts left worlds across the disintegrating empire devastated. Deliberate raids and assaults aimed at enemy strategic assets with the intent of denying foes the resources for sustaining military operations left other worlds blasted wastes. The number of humans directly slain by Goa'uld forces during the Succession War is unknown with estimates varying wildly thanks to the unreliability, fragmentation, and secrecy of Goa'uld records but many scholars believe the number was in the billions on a galactic scale.

Making all of this even worse were the increasing resource demands for the expanding conflict. System Lords, oblivious to the plight of the enslaved, demanded more and more labor, crops, and goods out of their human property. An estimated fifty million humans across the galaxy would be worked to death building ships, weapons, and bases for their masters from Ra's demise to 10 M12 alone. Countless others starved or succumbed to disease in unprecedented numbers as the demands of war and Goa'uld practices like direct tithing pushed many human populations over the brink. To this day there is no consensus on how many humans died thanks to the secondary consequences of the Goa'uld Succession War but many believe it was as bad, if not worse, as the direct losses of life due to endless conflict. All of these stresses coupled with the growing hopelessness of the general situation pushed many human populations over the edge into outright revolt against the Goa'uld.

Just as was the case with the Jaffa these revolts were not unprecedented but what changed here was the size and scope. In many ways, however, the situation facing humanity was very different. The power of the Jaffa, vastly superior technology, and deliberate segregation of information kept much of the enslaved humans under the Goa'uld lash. A handful became personal slaves, hosts, and trustees for the Goa'uld but their number was tiny compared to the vast, teeming masses who labored in the name of distant, cruel gods. The situation, as described by former slave and renowned Goa'uld scholar Reza al'Derinda, was comparable to a high security prison during the 800s and 900s M11 with the Jaffa as guards and wardens. This meant revolts tended to be less isolated cases of mutiny and more mass revolts inspired by the cruelty of their masters. There were little illusions that such revolts would succeed and many were motivated by a thirst for revenge. The bare handful of successes, like Earth against Ra, illustrate how long the odds were for any would-be rebels.

The growing desperation of humanity across the galaxy meant such revolts became far more common. Inspired by fear, hunger, or even a simple desire to put a halt to the madness humans in huge numbers rose up in rebellion against the Goa'uld. When many overt revolts were crushed the enemies of the Goa'uld fled to the hinterlands of their worlds, continuing the fight against a hated enemy with a vast, sympathetic population to operate in. The increasing number of successes scored by the famous Keystone campaign made matters worse by giving rise to word of mouth tales of Goa'uld driven off by a mysterious, incredibly powerful group of humans. Known by the Goa'uld word Tau'ri Terran military forces took on a larger than life image among the growing human resistance movements. Heralded as long-awaited saviors tales of the exploits of Stargate Command and Interstellar Operations(2) spread like wildfire, inspiring further revolts.

The combination of Jaffa disaffection, human unrest, and Terran intervention greatly depleted the military power of the System Lords. Even as the size of Goa'uld warfleets swelled to meet the needs of conflict the size of Jaffa armies and campaigns began to shrink. The cumulative impact of Jaffa defection and mutiny, human uprising, and the simple stresses of total war rapidly drained the power and capacity of the System Lords. By 7 M12 the power of the Goa'uld Empire and the resurgent Sokar were nearly exhausted. In spite of all of this the System Lords continued their struggle for power and responded to the growing unrest with increasing brutality and incredibly sadistic methods of punishment. Having only known force as a tool for containing rebellion the Goa'uld applied it with increasing frequency, viciousness, brutality, and cruelty. Their victims, in turn, struck back with greater ferocity than ever."

From Chapter 5: The Beginning of the End of Goa'uld Dominance, _Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12

*Camera pans from overhead across a massive crowd in the streets of Bahrain. Smoke from multiple fires is visible across the screen.*

JEREMY BOWEN, BBC: I am Jeremy Bowen reporting live on the scene from the island nation of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Two days ago massive crowds filled the streets demanding the immediate resignation of the ruling monarchy and the redistribution of their property and assets to the people.

*Low rumbling chants of "Allahu akbar!" and "Thawra! Thawra! Thawra!" fill the air as the camera slowly zooms in on a huge Bahraini flag bursting into flames. Numerous burning effigies can be seen across the crowd.*

BOWEN: The majority of Bahraini security forces have either been driven from the streets or openly sided with the demonstrators. Currently only the royal palace remains untouched by the mob and is besieged by tens of thousands of people. The Bahraini government has begged the Saudis for assistance but in spite of statements of support no military aid, in terms of equipment or troops, has been sent.

*A low, rumbling explosion fills the air as a large pillar of black smoke climbs into the sky.*

BOWEN: According to our sources on the ground those were the main oil storage tanks going up. Similar upheaval has been reported throughout the Persian Gulf and in other major oil exporters like Nigeria and Venezuela but there is nothing like the sheer ferocity of what we are seeing here.

*Rushing sound of a rocket heard in the background*

PILOT: Incoming!

BOWEN: Oh my God is that-

*Sharp crunch, followed by feed cutting to static*

From the March 8th, 7 M12 live broadcast by the BBC from Bahrain

"One of the most tumultuous effects of the ongoing Interstellar Revolution was the transformation of energy production. Beginning with the construction of superconducting lines, continental power grids, and catching up steam with battery banks and new developments in renewable energy these new developments transformed the global energy economy. Dominated by fossil fuels for over two hundred years these new discoveries broke the world's dependence on such energy sources permanently. The cheap, hyperefficient solar panels coupled with new wind farms spread across the globe. By the end of 6 M12 80% of all electricity produced in the wealthier nations of the world came from renewable sources. The construction of the first thorium fusion reactors increased the grid baseload, stabilizing the growing market and completely sidelining the role of the dirty, nonrenewable sources.

The growing grid load brought with it a new revolution in manufacturing and scientific development. With access to, in some cases, virtually limitless sources of energy compared to the past automated production, 3D printing, and high energy scientific experiments saw an enormous boom unrivaled in Terran history. Cheap, massive sources of energy made continuous automated production an easy reality as costs plummeted for producers making it easy to afford the most modern equipment possible accelerating the growing overhaul of Terran manufacturing. In the realm of research and development new experiments became possible like never before. Shrinking costs and higher energy capacity saw previously exotic and rare forms of technology like particle accelerators commonplace in laboratories worldwide. Just as coal and oil made the First and Second Industrial Revolutions possible so too did the cheaper energy made possible by renewable energy and superconducting fibers.

What further broadened and deepened the impact of the ongoing energy revolution was the increasing ubiquity of purely electric vehicles on land, sea, and air. Thanks to highly efficient vehicle batteries, superconducting systems, and the growing total grid capacity worldwide what had once been purely theoretical developments were now spreading worldwide. By 6 M12 an estimated 55% of all land vehicles, from personal transportation to trucking and trains, worldwide had either upgraded their engines or were replaced by newer models. These rapid developments were assisted by generous upgrade programs in the United States, the European Union, Russia, and China as all sought to take advantage of the energy independence and environmental benefits such technology provided. At sea massive container ships were overhauled as POD drives replaced their old oil-fired power plants with newer electric systems and batteries.

These developments, heralded by many as a string of great leaps forward, did not come without consequences. The growth of the new renewable energy economy and electric vehicles had enormous economic consequences of their own. Communities and countries that once depended on fossil fuels found themselves in genuinely dire straits. In the years leading up to First Contact the cost of new oil and coal exploration had grown steadily as known reserves were tapped and new discoveries required increasingly exotic, expensive, and experimental technologies to reach. Such advances were only possible when the price of fossil fuels remained stable or, as was the case near the end of the 11th millennium, continued to grow.

The sudden explosion of renewables and cheap energy suddenly and dramatically reversed this trend. The availability of cheaper, reliable, and higher capacity energy sources sent oil, coal, and natural gas prices plummeting through the floor. What made this situation even worse was the rapidly declining global demand. Not only were oil and coal virtually worthless to extract and refine both had become nearly impossible to sell. In communities dependent on fossil fuel production for their livelihood unemployment and poverty soared. Once prosperous regions found themselves economically destitute entering conditions worse than those experienced during the Great Depression of the 930s M11.

The worst impact was in the Persian Gulf. Major oil exporting nations like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the various Gulf Monarchies watched as their main source of wealth vanished before their eyes. By 5 M12 these regions were suffering severe economic distress. The successful testing and opening of the first thorium fusion reactors planetside would be the straw that would break the camel's back. On March 8th, 7 M12 following the announcement of the first fusion plant outside of Lyons in the European Union already suffering oil prices collapsed completely in a day known forever as the Oil Crash. On that day the news of the new fusion plant inspired investors to pull what little money was invested in oil markets out dropping the price of oil to roughly $0.01 per barrel. The Crash shattered the economies of the great petro-states completely sending them spiraling into chaos as impoverished Gulf residents and "guest" workers openly rioted in the streets, railing against the opulence of the Gulf monarchies. Later events of the year only added fuel to the fire, setting the stage for events with tremendous consequences for the entire Muslim world."

From Chapter 3: The Interstellar Revolution, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"In Terran military history key developments took place from 6 M12 to 8 M12. Declining American power and increasing technological development was changing the world rapidly and pressing upon the leaders of the world's governments how critical a more cohesive defense was to Terra's safety. Fear of increasing vulnerability thanks to the growing upheaval planetside led to new changes in the coordination of Terran defenses. The two main Stargate operations alliances, the International Oversight Committee and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, grew closer together through technological exchanges, intelligence sharing, and a series of coordinated actions. This was further assisted by the increasing economic ties and closeness brought on by continental trade blocs and global trade.

Easily the most potent example of the increasing cooperation was the passage of UN resolutions A/RES and S/RES on May 24th 6 M12. These resolutions called for the construction of two orbital space stations to be administered by the UN for the purposes of coordinating Earth's defenses in case of Goa'uld attack. Designated Orbital Defense Command Arctic and Antarctic each station was to be positioned in a fixed, geosynchronous orbit with Terra's northern and southern magnetic poles. Construction would begin later that year with the first permanent personnel arriving on June 8th 7 M12. Though Orbital Defense Command Arctic would not be fully complete until 11 M12 and Orbital Defense Command Antarctic wouldn't be finished until 14 M12 these stations represented a vital step forward in building a united Terran defense and would play a vital role in the coming years.

In conjunction with these efforts a network of deep space satellites were deployed by the IOC and SCO from the growing fleet of System Defense Ships throughout the solar system. These satellites carried with them a potent combination of deep space sensors, radio relay systems, and a set of railgun batteries as point defenses. The new network was designed and intended to assist in coordinating the defenses of the system, provide early warning for Terran defense forces, and boost signals system-wide. Known as Stellar Early Warning and Control Satellites, or SEWACS, these would play a vital role militarily and economically in the years to come.  
Hand in hand with the growing coordination between the Stargate powers was increasing disclosure to other major powers on Earth. As the war with the Goa'uld grew the IOC and SCO came to the conclusion they barely had the resources to stay on top of the needs of planetary defense. In spite of the growing resources provided by technological advances, growth, and development more information on the sheer size and power of the Goa'uld Empire, even with the fragmentation and destruction wrought by the Succession War, was an intimidating force. Only by recruiting additional assistance and resources would it be possible for Terra to put up an effective resistance.

On June 4th 6 M12 they gathered together every nation in the know along with others who were seen as sufficiently trustworthy to inform of the situation at the epochal Brasilia Conference on Global Defense. Every member of NATO, Sweden, Finland, Brazil, Mexico, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and South Africa were given all of the facts regarding the Stargate, the Goa'uld, and the circumstances in the galaxy. They were further briefed on the alliance with the Asgard, the existence of offworld human populations, and the current status of the struggle against the Goa'uld Empire. The intelligence agencies of many of these nations had some suspicions something was going on but the full truth was quite a shock to all of them.

Over the course of the next month, after giving the representatives the chance to fully process disclosure, the nations hammered out the terms of their participation in the new planetary order for combined defense and operations against the Goa'uld including technology sharing and participation in the Stargate program. Easily the biggest and most critical change was the change was a major transformation in the nature of Stargate operations. Stargate Command, already a somewhat internationalized force, would now be responsible for all offworld operations involving the Stargate. Parallel to Stargate Command the conference attendees founded Interstellar Command to coordinate all operations involving Earth's small but growing fleet of ships and starfighters. Both would answer to the newly founded Planetary Defense Commission with one representative from every participating government. Earlier coordination in operations like MENGELE helped pave the way for this new arrangement but without the Kinsey Coup, the Tok'ra alliance providing a fuller understanding of the full might of the Goa'uld, and elimination of many Occidentalists from the American military establishment it is highly unlikely such an agreement could have been reached.

Not all was well however in spite of the new unity provided by the PDC. Earth would suffer from a great betrayal at the hands of a once benignly neutral human world. Many years before Stargate Command successfully established friendly relations with a world known as the Tollan after rescuing and ferrying a group of refugees to their homeworld of Tollana. The Tollan, thanks to a traumatic experience with a neighboring planet in their past, were grateful yet in accordance of their laws refused to share technology with the people of Earth even to assist in defending against the Goa'uld. All of this would change dramatically on August 27th 6 M12. On this day a high-ranking Tollan official passed away under mysterious circumstances prompting Stargate Command to send a delegation to attend his funeral. During the funeral Tollana's leaders approached the SGC personnel with an unprecedented offer: military technology to defend Terra against the Goa'uld.

This was met with a great deal of initial skepticism and surprise by Earths' representatives but initially, at the insistence of Jack O'Neill, the offer was accepted. Upon further investigation the initial suspicions of Samantha Carter and Dr. Daniel Jackson were validated with the discovery of doctored records suggesting a Goa'uld System Lord had figured out an effective countermeasure for the previously impervious defenses of Tollana. SG-1 dug deeper and discovered an even more shocking truth: a Goa'uld double agent known as Tanith was on-planet and supervising the development of a deadly new weapon deployed by Stargate that, if launched, had the means to utterly destroy Earth. The plans were foiled by the members of SG-1 but not before Tanith called for his at the time unknown master's forces. In minutes Goa'uld warships arrived in orbit, laying waste to Tollana as SG-1 fled one step ahead of their enemies. Who this new System Lord was or how they bested the seemingly impervious Tollan people was a mystery to the Terrans and their Tok'ra allies. Many feared this was a portent of worse things yet to come. This close brush with destruction, coupled with prior victories in KEYSTONE and the newfound cooperation under the PDC, would lead to an increased tempo and boldness of operations by the expanded forces of the SGC."

From Chapter 6: Building a Global Military, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12


	6. Chapter 6: Slaying Dragons

**Chapter 6: Slaying Dragons**

Alpha Site, September 8th 7 M12

Lieutenant Terry Winters stretched his limbs one last time before turning to the munitions specialist standing by. "Everything ready Corporal?" The gunbunny nodded, "As ready as she'll ever be. I've checked over Mathilda's systems three times and made sure to get her a full loadout sir." "Good", replied Winters, "This is going to be one hell of a fight and I'd hate for any snag to muck it up." With that Terry turned to Sergeant Tyson Brooks, his partner, and nodded before stepping on to the ladder leading to the waiting open suit. "Ya know as much as you're worrying I'd much rather be in a Herc instead of outside of one." "It won't change how cramped these suits get Ty," Winters replied. "Oh I dunno sir, it makes us kinda like knights in shining armor," quipped Brooks. "Knights with heavy weaponry," said Winters, cracking a smile just as his armored shell slid closed over his chest, arms, and legs. A moment later the heavy armored dome protecting his head clicked into place, lighting up with camera feed, information on the status of the suit, and ammo loadout.

Winters, Brooks, and the rest of the Hercules platoon moved into position at the foot of the Alpha Site gate ramp as the ring spun up the address. While they waited tensely the personnel of Stargate Command filed into position. Colonel Jack O'Neill, flanked by the members of SG-1 and other high ranking Russian, Chinese, Indian, and Brazilian officers, turned to face the assembled troops. A substantial force of two full battalions with soldiers drawn from all members of the PDC stood fully loaded and ready for battle. "You all know this is going to be one of the most dangerous missions any of us have ever launched. A lot of us might not make it back alive. That said if the intel our Tok'ra friends have provided us is accurate then KINGFISH will strike a major blow against the Goa'uld." Just as he finished the room was filled with a loud _whoosh_ as the gate made its connection to P5Y-108. "Good hunting all of you and I expect to see everyone back here when we're done, dead or alive."

Winters gulped as he waited for the signal from the Moth drone. So named because they were small enough to fit in the palm of the hand Moths had replaced the large, bulky MALPs years before thanks to their greater survivability and compact size. His successes in previous actions led to his promotion to Lieutenant and assignment, along with his squadmate Tyson Brooks, to the Hercules suit program serving as the spearhead of every Gate Corps operation into heavily contested space. As they waited for the signal to come through Winters could feel the sweat congealing on his brow, silently counting down. His heart jumped into his throat as the feed crackled to life, the scan showing the area on the other side of P5Y-108's gate only lightly held by enemy troops. "Alright Hercules Platoon, let's do our thing!" With that the solid seven and a half foot tall Mark 3 suits lumbered forward, sending small earthquakes rumbling through the gateroom as they rushed forward.

Winters felt his entire world shrink, grow, warp, and re-arrange itself as the Hercules suits punched through the gate. In the moment of materialization the air was immediately filled with the crackle of staff fire. Terry Winters felt one such blast catch him full on the chest as another glanced off his right shoulder plate sending showers of sparks flying in every direction. Winters felt himself stumble slightly before catching his footing, turning forward, and opening up. He felt the rattle of his twin automatic rail cannons through the suit punctuated by the sharp, flat thud of high-powered magnetically launched missiles, good for air and ground targets, as his fellow Hercules drivers materialized filling the air with deadly fire. The Jaffa, though certainly bold and disciplined, could barely stand the withering hail of lead and shrapnel as one suit became four, then twelve as the troops of the Gate Corps fanned out.

In moments it was all over. In spite of their best efforts the Jaffa could not withstand the sheer volume of fire pouring into them or the deadly munitions breaking up their positions. "Gate is secure Colonel, we're ready when you are." "Roger that, keep on point we'll be with you shortly," replied O'Neill as troops began rushing through the Stargate taking up position behind the heavily armored suits. Elite PLA, Spetsnaz, and SG Team operators took point immediately, rushing for the tree line as they rapidly blended in with the surrounding terrain. The lighter infantry followed up as quickly as they could, forming up the main body of the intended assault. They moved as quickly as possible over the ridge line up ahead, hugging the hills and trees. The Hercules suits, thanks to their larger size and bulk, stuck to lower ground with Winters leading his platoon as fast as possible.

"Come on come on," he whispered, waiting for the feed to patch in from the Moth drone flying out ahead of the advancing detachment. Tok'ra intelligence indicated KINGFISH would be heavily protected by his most elite Jaffa warriors who had deployed in strength in a recent engagement with the forces of Sokar. The Tok'ra claimed their target, thanks to his age and arrogance, would not pass up the chance to gloat over his triumph against the most hated of the System Lords. If their information was correct, which the Tok'ra claimed two operatives died to retrieve, then the forces of Earth wouldn't have much time to strike.

The tense march was broken by a sudden exclamation over the radio as the screen came to life. "We've got the target Hercules One!" shouted Corporal Xiaoai Wu, one of the newest of the Hercules drivers and a promising young woman from the People's Liberation Army. The Moth feed was filled with over five hundred Jaffa warriors standing at perfect attention in a broad, open field. At the head a massive, robust gray haired man dressed in ancient Greek garb barked at the crowd in Goa'uld. Winters keyed up his internal radio, "Colonel O'Neill we have confirmation of KINGFISH. Repeat we have confirmation of KINGFISH." "Roger that Hercules One. All units engage!"

Off in the distance Mathilda's enhanced audio and external microphones picked up on the sharp clatter of gunfire and flat crumple of explosions. The radio channel rapidly became filled with the chatter of battle as officers and soldiers called for aid and barked orders orchestrating the unfolding cacophonous symphony of Earth's way of war. Gate Corps and SG Team infantry, taking up positions on the ridges and in the trees surrounding the assembled Jaffa, unleashed a torrent of lead and high explosives. The titter of assault rifles was punctuated with the thunder of rocket propelled grenades, mortar fire, and the sharp crack of the newest automatic railcannons. The Jaffa, fighting the way they knew, at first scattered before their Primes restored some semblance of order amidst the roaring of their Olympian master. Having some sense of order they turned and charged the Gate Corps and SG Team personnel as the roar of Death Gliders filled the skies.

"Let's get moving people, we don't want this party getting started without us!" Winters barked into the microphone. First and Second Hercules Platoons picked up the pace, pressing on through low ground and looping around the flank of the enemy forces. The arrival of the Death Gliders had given the Jaffa a second wind, giving them the chance to form up properly and open fire on the Terran soldiers. It was onto this chaotic scene the Hercules troopers arrived on the scene. What Winters and his comrades beheld was carnage. Broken Jaffa and human bodies littered the field, Death Gliders roared overhead blasting troops on the ground with deadly blasts of energy, and amidst the madness the tall, gray-haired System Lord code-named KINGFISH strode through the storm practically impervious to harm. Everywhere he turned great waves of energy blasted forth from his palms knocking over soldiers as easily as bowling pins.

Winters and his platoon immediately locked on the low-flying Death Gliders letting loose a volley of missiles. Soon fighters were tumbling from the sky as the glowering giant turned towards the Hercs, his face a mask of rage and hatred as he marched on them. "Hey big ugly!" shouted Tyson Brooks through his loudspeakers unleashing a volley of slugs, catching the attention of the angry System Lord. KINGFISH turned and toppled Tyson's suit over with a wave of his hand. In that moment things slowed down for Terry Winters as he screamed with a primal fury he didn't know he had, pouring railgun slugs into the System Lord. Every shot detonated on the Goa'uld's energy field but the explosions knocked him off his feet, sending him flying. As KINGFISH found his footing he turned around to see Teal'c's visage of tranquil fury, staff weapon in hand. "This," he growled, "is for my father!" In a flick of an eye before Kronus had the opportunity to respond Teal'c swung the heavy end of his staff. The blurring arc made contact with the mighty System Lord's head sending blood everywhere. The once-mighty Goa'uld crumpled to the ground.

Terry Winters shook himself out of the red fog that filled his mind as the voice of Jack O'Neill echoed through the radio net. "It's time to get moving everyone! There's more Goa'uld on the way and we've got reports of a Ha'tak moving into position in orbit. All personnel make for the gate double-time!" With fluid, practiced ease the Gate Corps and SG Teams melted back into the woods with the Hercules suits in the rearguard laying down a deadly volume of supporting fire. The Jaffa, for their part, attempted to pursue but after Kronus' death at the hands of Teal'c the fight had gone out of them. The loss of air cover and fury of the Herculeses weaponry gave them further reason to hesitate as the men and women of the SGC hurriedly picked up their wounded and dead before retreating for the gate. The next fifteen minutes were the longest of Winters' life as fire rained down from above, Death Gliders swooped in picking off stragglers, and more and more Jaffa warriors closed in. Finally the eternity of danger crawled to an end as the gate dialed up, soldiers rapidly filed in, and the Herculeses held the rear buying time for their comrades to evacuate to Alpha Site. Terry Winters waited at the gate, firing with all he had as the safety indicators ran into the red and ammo ran dangerously low, as his platoon members dragged Tyson's wrecked suit through. Finally Winters joined his fellows just a moment before the gate winked shut.

"The Goa'uld Empire's rapid decline, thanks to the ravages of the Succession War, inadvertently set the stage for the steady rise of humanity as a major force in the galaxy with Terra leading the way. The constant slash and burn of increasingly deadly conflict between the System Lords left many rulers' forces exhausted, resources depleted, and far less capacity for keeping their vassal lords under control. Rebellion in the ranks and Jaffa discontent further crippled the mightiest of the System Lords leaving them exhausted, divided, and more distrustful than ever. In stark contrast the Terrans were scoring victories like the successful elimination of Nirrti and Kronus, liberating previously Goa'uld held worlds and relocating the populations to new sanctuaries, and finding new allies in the growing conflict.

By 8 M12 the Goa'uld Succession War was taking a new turn. Sokar's earlier campaigns, particularly his rapid conquest of Apophis' domain, had scored rapid successes. Unfortunately for the Demon Lord his indiscriminate strategy, reputation, and use of terror tactics mobilized and hardened opposition by the other System Lords across the Empire. Soon he found himself facing stiff resistance on all sides kept in check mostly by the mutual distrust of the System Lords for one another. This was made more difficult by Sokar's practice of eliminating enemy Goa'uld and replacing them with his own loyal servants, greatly reducing the incentive for Underlords and Planet Lords to surrender or defect.

The indecisive conflict was upset by the success of Operation ZEUS and the death of Kronus. The Scythe Lord's death fragmented his realm as ambitious Underlords and Planet Lords scrambled for pieces of his domain. One of the more powerful, Setesh(1), formed his own domain and fought for control of the remainder of Kronus' realm. Heru'ur was in no position to take advantage of the new opportunity thanks to bearing the brunt of Sokar's forces. With the grinding stalemate and breakup of the larger power blocs the League of Independent System Lords imploded thanks to Goa'uld politics. Lord Yu, having carefully shepherded his forces while his allies took the brunt of the greater lords, launched a series of pre-emptive strikes greatly expanding his personal holdings at the expense of the League's existence.

These years would see the first examples of concrete Asgard technical assistance. Following the Tollan Affair the Asgard feared the Goa'uld could no longer be held to the terms of the Protected Planets Treaty. Unfortunately for them the situation was not as simple as sending scientific data to Earth directly. Not only was Asgard technology nigh-on magical compared to human developments the Asgard had to give aid that wouldn't catch the attention of the Goa'uld. As per the terms of the Protected Planets Treaty the Asgard were barred from providing scientific or technical assistance to protected worlds. Breaking this part of the agreement meant a challenge from the Goa'uld the Asgard lacked the means to resist.

All of this was made worse by the increasing losses inflicted on the Asgard by the Replicators. The best solution the High Council saw was to build up Earth's technological capabilities. After much debate and discussion, thanks in part to earnest advocacy by Supreme Commander Thor and Freyr, the High Council decided to extend direct, covert technical assistance to the PDC. They gladly accepted and by the beginning of 8 M12 working examples of simple artificial gravity technology, improvements to fusion power processes, high quality alloys and superconductors, and simple energy shields. These new technologies and the necessary scientific understanding were a major boost forward for Earth.

All throughout the galaxy the intensity of the Goa'uld conflict was further fueled by the actions of Terran and Tok'ra forces. In conjunction with KEYSTONE the allies launched Operation BOCAGE, a deliberate campaign of sabotage, disinformation, and decapitation strikes. One of the many successes of BOCAGE was exacerbating the breakup of the League of Independent System Lords by sabotaging troop mobilizations and feeding the League Lords misinformation guaranteeing all would fall to infighting out of pride during Lord Yu's betrayal. Another was the continued sabotage of Sokar and Heru'ur's supply trains ensuring their war would grind on to indecisively.

These efforts accelerated the breakup of the fringes of the Empire giving KEYSTONE and ASYLUM's planners to adjust to a rapidly changing situation. When the KEYSTONE-ASYLUM campaign was first launched the SGC did not expect to see many concrete successes and had only surveyed half a dozen worlds as sanctuaries. The realities of the Goa'uld Succession War would have dramatic impact on both. KEYSTONE met far more success than the planners' wildest dreams as the devastation of the Succession War inspired revolts in every System Lord's domain giving the SGC far more successes than expected.

ASYLUM, for its part, scrambled to keep up with the far greater than expected flood of liberated peoples. Not only were there many more KEYSTONE evacuations than initially expected but the problem of displacement and refugees became a major one for the SGC. The needs of the victims of the Goa'ulds' war saw the number of ASYLUM worlds supported by Terra swell with more being surveyed daily. To cope with these challenges the PDC founded a new organization on February 2nd 8 M12, the Resettlement and Reconstruction Agency, tasked with supporting the rebuilding and relocation process for liberated human populations.

In these early years the RRA faced the herculean task of providing food, shelter, power, medicine, and law enforcement for over a billion humans speaking a multitude of different languages from an even more dizzyingly vast group of cultures and societies by Stargate. This enormous challenge was made easier for the RRA by the outpouring of gratitude from the liberated populations for their saviors but goodwill would only go so far before starvation and deprivation took their toll. One of the first solutions to the many problems facing the RRA was recruiting the most competent, able ASYLUM refugees to handle critical functions like peacekeeping and civil defense. The most elite recruits in the Planetary Defense Forces, as they were called, were offered the chance to serve in the Gate Corps. Many jumped at the opportunity to take the fight to the hated parasites who had once enslaved them.

The RRA also worked to bring in technical advisors, establish facilities for teaching the relocated populations how to manufacture and use modern Earth technology, and built up the best infrastructure possible. The reasons for this policy were twofold. The main justification, which formed the foundation of UN policy during the early Unification period, was humanitarian. PDC authorities argued it would have been morally indefensible to leave the relocated populations in anything less than the best conditions for recovery and rebuilding possible. The second, and more compelling, reason was material. Even with the considerable success of the ASYLUM program the number of humans liberated barely scratched the surface of the Goa'uld Empire's vast resources. The demands of galactic war meant the PDC could not pass up on mobilizing as many resources as possible. These requirements saw the construction of the most sophisticated energy and manufacturing technology, labs, and other facilities to manufacture the needed equipment for doing battle with the System Lords.

The policies of the RRA were one facet of the greater policy of the Planetary Defense Commission. The PDC's main goal, as established in the Brasilia Charter, was to do everything possible to defend Earth and humanity from all offworld threats. This same, overriding goal drove PDC policy on offworld human allies. As the SGC reached further out into space they discovered increasing numbers of worlds previously occupied by the Goa'uld who were left abandoned and free to develop on their own. The PDC, upon First Contact, offered technical advice and military advisors to allied worlds on the condition such aid be used to establish cohesive, global defense policies.

Unfortunately this was not without tragic accidents. In some worlds First Contact was met with suspicion, hostility, and caused turmoil and upheaval domestically speaking. One of the hallmark examples of the dangers of the pursuit of galactic allies was the tragic demise of Dr. Daniel Jackson on Langara during a botched weapons test where Dr. Jackson suffered from a lethal dose of radiation saving the lives of a group of Langaran scientists on August 8th 7 M12. In spite of this very difficult start Langara would become a critical Earth ally in future years providing samples and critical data for developing the naquadriah refining process. In exchange the Langarans were given technical, scientific, and military aid. Other worlds would see similar arrangements setting vital precedent for what we know today as Uplift.

All of these efforts played a critical role in expanding and solidifying Terra's offworld network. The Alpha and Beta military sites were expanded to handle the increased scale and tempo of Gate-based operations. Delta Site was expanded with plans laid out for infrastructure sufficient to support a population of two hundred million inhabitants by 15 M12. Epsilon Site, Earth's second refuge world, was founded shortly after with a similar infrastructure goal set for 19 M12. To support these efforts and bootstrap Earth's industrial and manufacturing base the PDC approved the expansion of offworld prospecting activities with the formal establishment of four new offworld sites. These mining colonies were expanded to include increased scale of production through automated methods, refining plants, and expanded infrastructure load for moving goods offworld. These colonies provided Terra with a vital supply of naquadah, trinium, platinum, and a host of other materials vital to the war effort."

From Chapter 6: Building a New Galactic Civilization, _Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12 

Quote:

Originally Posted by **PolitBrit**

 _The UN Security Council and General Assembly are debating expanding the size of the Peacekeeping Corps to 750,000 standing troops, 5 new major bases, and a small fleet of combat ships to escort troops overseas. Link is here:_

 _UN Considers Expanding Size of Peacekeeping Corps_

 _Considering their successes in Korea, Afghanistan, and Africa I think it makes sense to expand the size of the Peacekeeping Corps. What say the members of the board?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Europhile**

 _Does the UN really need that many extra troops? UNASUR and the EU have some very solid federal units, the US military is quite potent, and the PLA would never tolerate disorder in their sphere of influence. The size of the Peacekeeping Corps is already more than enough to meet their current commitments, why should they need more?_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _The only reasons that would make sense for the Peacekeepers to expand is either they expect future operations to be more expensive or they are planning to increase their tempo._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Kawl00ny**

 _I think you're both making kneejerk assumptions. The Peacekeepers are much better than the old system of volunteer detachments and with the growing instability in the Middle East we can't show weakness in the face of the Goa'uld. I don't see why giving the UN the extra resources to keep the peace is such a problem._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **EndtheFed**

 _This cannot stand! Every time the Peacekeepers take action the independence of every society is threatened. How long will it be before Blue Helmets are patrolling our streets and have us living under their boots? This is one step too far!_

Quote:

Originally Posted by **WonderFromDownUnder**

 _Chill out. The Peacekeepers have never operated without the support of other major military forces like in Korea and Congo. Their bases are scattered all over the world and most couldn't win a fight on their own with any military force worth their salt. Besides the Peacekeepers have no navy to speak of._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **TechSabby**

 _No navy **yet**. The new expansion would give them a task force of missile cruisers and a larger supply chain._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Kawl00ny**

 _That's hardly enough to challenge the People's Liberation Navy and could never threaten something like the US Navy or the Royal Navy._

Quote:

Originally Posted by **ZuluScholar**

 _I think their successes in Africa fully justify the expansion. Unlike past cases of operations where there were lots of cases of abuses by volunteer detachments the new Peacekeepers are highly professional. They've given a lot of the young people in South Africa an option other than poverty and is bringing the world closer together in peace. I think that's worth it regardless of the existence of the Space Snakes._

From General Discussion Thread "Peacekeeping Forces Proposed Expansion Approved", September 7th 8 M12

"The growth of new infrastructure for power transmission, storage, and generation were one of two key aspects of the global grid that developed on Earth during the early years of the Interstellar Revolution. The other was the revolution in communications technology on a global scale. These two elements were key in making the later leaps in technological development and global unification possible.

Increased power capacity and efficiency already had considerable effects on the world of electronics. Combined with increasingly efficient forms of data storage the capabilities of digital technology soared and costs dropped. By 8 M12 95% of all humans on Terra had reliable cellular and Internet access 24 hours a day through a combination of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other increasingly advanced digital devices. These newer forms of technology benefitted from more advanced polymers and the efficiency offered by solid-state superconducting, or SSS, systems putting the quality and bandwidth of data transmitted several leaps ahead of the norm of even five years earlier. Real-time streaming video, buffer-free teleconferencing, and solid reliability had become the norms of digital communication.

The infrastructure supporting these systems experienced a similar revolution. Datacenters, Internet hubs, and supporting technology like modems became increasingly efficient reaching undreamed of levels of throughput. Most mobile devices on the eve of Unification measured their upload and download rates in terabytes per second with landline connections capable of data loads an order of magnitude higher. These data loads made the global grid's capacity substantially higher leading to massive leaps forward in computer technology and programming.

The best example of these advances was the rise of the forerunners to modern artificial intelligences. The first examples, following the arrival of SSS systems on the market, were fairly crude and simple by modern standards only capable of handling a handful of complex tasks. Even these, compared to the programming of earlier periods, were a huge leap forward for manufacturing, production, and social organization.  
Proto-AIs accelerated the growing revolution in the world of economics. Work that once required specialized teams of human operators could now be processed by artificial intelligences capable of handling the wide range of variables, possibilities, and outcomes in any given situation. The Proto-AIs found application in managing transportation systems, organizing and running supply chains, and running automated security systems.

The perfect example of the combination of all these technologies came on August 12th 8 M12 when the Toyota Motor Corporation opened the first near-fully automated factory. 90% of all production work was performed by automated systems, all raw materials were assembled on the spot by 3D printers, the vast majority of the work was managed by early artificial intelligences, and a human work force of 97 technicians, engineers, and a handful of managers to keep the place running. The Toyota Automated Factory set production records by their second quarter in operation. The message was clear: the years of mass-based labor as a factor in economic production were over."

From Chapter Five: Building the Global Grid, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12

1\. Also known as Seth, Setesh managed to escape from Earth following First Contact and rose through the ranks of Kronus' service thanks in part to his intimate knowledge of Earth history and culture

"The newly reformed Stargate Command, now under the authority of the Planetary Defense Commission, was already becoming a very different force. The demands of interstellar warfare had changed the SGC from the relatively modest exploration force it was when founded to the first truly global military force in Terran history. The SGC's mission had expanded considerably. It began as the command center for all offworld, gate-based operations launched by the US military and focused on a handful of highly specialized operatives. Following First Contact it changed dramatically, becoming a force capable of fighting extended offworld campaigns against the Goa'uld and intervening decisively in the defense of PDC allies. Hand in hand with these changes came new responsibilities.

The first major development was the SGC's expanded role in building galactic resistance against the Goa'uld. A critical element in this mission was building up the capabilities of offworld allies and the ASYLUM worlds. Terra alone simply did not have the resources to fight the Goa'uld on its own and could not defend every ASYLUM and allied world. To address this problem the SGC sent technical and training advisors to bring their allies and protectorates up to par in terms of combat capabilities. Some worlds, like Orban and Langara, were relatively sophisticated technologically and needed little aid technologically but were somewhat lacking in military tactics and training. Others, like Abydos, needed the full spectrum of assistance to come up to par.

In the case of ASYLUM worlds the challenge was far more serious. These planets consisted of resettled and relocated refugee populations in need of basic services and protection. Unlike other Terran allies ASYLUM worlds had to build up manufacturing and transportation infrastructure from scratch, establish a working economy, and establish sufficient social stability for personnel to be spared for military service. These troops became the first of the ASYLUM Planetary Defense Forces. Most PDF units, unlike Terran and Terran-allied forces, were lacking in heavy equipment usually depending on aircraft and human-portable lighter equipment for striking power. These troops were expected to put up as stiff of resistance to the Goa'uld as they possibly could understanding it was unlikely they could fully repel them on their own. Key to early PDF doctrine was intensive training in insurgency and guerrilla warfare to make these worlds as difficult to secure for the Goa'uld as possible and buy the SGC time to send reinforcements.

These policies began bearing critical fruit for the galactic struggle in 7 M12 when the Alpha Site Agreement was reached. Negotiated between the SGC and offworld allies all allied worlds with soldiers up to par were permitted to send volunteers for service in the Gate Corps and the famed SG Teams. These troops were the best of their homeworlds and brought with them a unique set of perspectives, assumptions, and ideas to the table bolstering the SGC's military capabilities numerically and qualitatively. In 9 M12 the ASYLUM worlds were included in the ASA sending their best and brightest to fight the Goa'uld across the galaxy. ASYLUM world volunteers proved to be some of the fiercest, most determined soldiers to serve in the SGC. The vast majority had lost friends and family to Goa'uld oppression and cruelty. All vowed they would do all they could to bring justice for the victims of their age-old enemy.

To support these efforts the infrastructure for Gate-based operations was greatly expanded under the PDC. Alpha and Beta sites had already grown considerably in the years since their founding as the tempo and scale of offworld operations increased. Originally both locations were intended to be launching points for operations to better protect and, as necessary, isolate Terra from the threat of off-planet diseases and uncontrollable technology. Numerous cases would validate this reasoning with the Alpha and Beta sites successfully containing numerous plagues, nanite systems, and other threats to Terra's safety long before they reached the planet's surface.

Over time these bases grew dramatically. The needs of near-constant raids, operations, and warfare across the galaxy forced these bases to expand. The first priority, made easier by the rise of 3D printing, was to ease the burden on the supply systems necessary for maintaining operations. To meet the demand for top of the line weaponry, ammunition, food, and medicine Alpha and Beta site manufacturing operations were greatly expanded. Sustaining these efforts was a parallel push to build up the transportation and raw material refining operations at each site. This, in turn, saw an increased demand for labor to supervise, maintain, and expand such operations. The result was the growth of the Alpha and Beta sites not just as military bases but as population centers. Alpha site reaching 150,000 permanent inhabitants by 5 M12 and Beta site hitting 80,000 permanent inhabitants in the same year.

These bases also saw unforeseen and considerable expansion of their on-site research and alien technology analysis facilities. This was thanks to the growing quantities of war booty brought back by Gate Corps and SG Team operations. Everything from staff weapons and zat guns to Death Gliders and Al'kesh were recovered in varying stages of intactness by SGC personnel giving Science Corps members plenty of samples to work with. The most prized of the SGC's treasure trove as of 8 M12 was the successful recovery of two fully operational Tel'taks and the reconstruction of a third using scavenged parts in 9 M12. War booty not analyzed on-site was transported at the highest priority by Gate or captured hyperdrive-capable craft to Omega Site and highly specialized research facilities like Hashima Island, Area 51, Porton Downs, and the Harbin Center. The growing quantity of examples of Goa'uld technology gave researchers multiple copies, working examples, and models to work with giving more room for more thorough testing. Some devices, like staff weapons and zat guns, were easily obtained making it easier to understand their secondary systems and technical layout. Others, like hyperdrives, were in limited supply complicating research efforts giving scientists a handful of very precious, hard to acquire samples.

During the years of the PDC period Stargate Command shifted focus away from KEYSTONE and HIGHLINE towards new campaigns intended to continue what earlier work had begun. Operations focused more on doing whatever was possible to directly undermine the Goa'uld as much as possible. KEYSTONE had opened the way yet it was a campaign conceived and executed based on limited information and understanding of the Goa'uld. For every success found in KEYSTONE there were far more defeats, stalls, and failed pushes leading to the SGC to re-evaluate their approach to war with the Goa'uld. Increased assistance from the Tok'ra played a key role in the re-assessment process.

The first of the two major campaigns embarked on by the SGC was Operation BOCAGE. Built on the foundation of Tok'ra intelligence the intent of BOCAGE was to disrupt, hamper, and in other ways undermine the means for the System Lords to wage war. Unlike KEYSTONE, which focused on staging whole sale uprisings and revolts, BOCAGE focused on hamstringing Goa'uld operations as much as possible. This was done through a campaign of sabotage and assassination. Priority targets were shipyards, repair facilities, and manufacturing plants in a bid to weaken the Goa'uld's means to fight as much as possible.

Another element of BOCAGE making it very different from previous campaigns, like Operations ZEUS and MENGELE, was the deliberate targeting of mid-level Goa'uld military and economic administrators. The logic of this shift in priority was that by weakening the ranks of the Goa'uld the SGC would do more damage than by taking out high-visibility and heavily guarded System Lords. Killing Goa'uld administrators and officers began to pay off very swiftly with many System Lords encountering increasing problems handling day to day functions. Losing the trained personnel needed to keep their domains functioning System Lords found themselves struggling to keep their fleets in action.

Side by side with BOCAGE was Operation BURMA ROAD. Intended to fully replace KEYSTONE BURMA ROAD was meant to truly shred Goa'uld power by hitting them at their weakest: the Jaffa. For eons the Goa'uld depended on the Jaffa to make the empire work. Whether being used as soldiers, clerics, or lower-level administrators the Jaffa were the tendons of the Goa'uld Empire ever since Pelops first used Ancient technology to create them. Indispensable as elite shock troops, administrators, and loyal enforcers if the Jaffa were ever to turn on their masters the Goa'uld Empire would crumble.

BURMA ROAD was intended to speed up this process. Jaffa revolts were growing and making the jump from defections and battlefield mutinies to open revolts. Units, thrown into a meatgrinder unlike anything they'd seen before, were increasingly refusing to follow orders. In other cases administrators turned on their overlords out of disgust, opposition, or sheer frustration at the demands of total mobilization of Goa'uld resources for the Succession War. BURMA ROAD provided critical support to these rebels by moving critical supplies to Jaffa contingents, providing emergency evacuation support, and scouting out refuge worlds for Jaffa rebels.

The experiences of BURMA ROAD and growing numbers of Jaffa volunteers and defectors led to a major change in how the SGC handled such asylum-seekers. Prior to the founding of the PDC Jaffa volunteers were integrated either into the Science Corps or SG Teams on a case by case, ad hoc basis. The PDC's new policy was intended to further expand the growing Jaffa rebellion by providing the space and means for training, organizing, and safe havens. The result was the Jaffa Auxiliary Corps. All members, whether they were soldiers or scientists, were extended the same rights as all other SGC personnel with the understanding they were essentially political exiles in asylum. With leaders like Teal'c, Bra'tac, and Ishta the JAC rapidly became a cohesive, organized military force in its own right. Uniting all the members of the Corps and underlying their preparations was the expectation one day the JAC would take their leave of the SGC to lead the revolt more directly. At its founding this was seen as a far-off over-arching goal rather than an immediate likelihood."

From Chapter 7: Escalating Galactic War, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12

"The Oil Crash was one of many signs of the end of the age of fossil fuels. In this moment oil became virtually worthless with world-changing effects. Everywhere oil producing regions, communities, and polities were sent reeling as their economic foundation, already in decline thanks to the growth of renewable energy, was wiped out from under them. Unemployment soared in these regions as local and national governments struggled to cope with the increasing instability.

Nowhere was the Oil Crash more devastating than in the Middle East. For decades the petro-states of the Persian Gulf and North Africa depended politically and economically on the extraction and refining of crude oil. The total evaporation of oil's value kicked off a series of revolts, rebellions, and revolutions across the region destroying seemingly invincible autocracies. The worst of the violence was in the Arabian Peninsula where Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf oil states collapsed almost overnight. Mobs of angry, hungry guest workers and Arabs attacked compounds, besieged palaces, and chased the former rulers out.

The sheer scale of the upheaval, violence, and destruction saw a surprisingly rapid response from regional authorities. In the face of the explosion of the Arabian Peninsula the Arab League moved into action with Egypt and Iraq leading the way. Both nations successfully rallied the League to approve a regional peacekeeping action voting to deploy troops. In the United Nations General Assembly they succeeded in winning Peacekeeper support for humanitarian support and security. 300,000 personnel were mobilized from across the Arab League with another 150,000 Peacekeepers authorized to support the effort. Iraq was the first to move with 50,000 swiftly occupying the Emirate of Kuwait followed by the rapid deployment of troops to secure the Hejaz. By the year's end the Arab League-UN force had all but the desert interior under stable occupation and with UN approval remained as the security forces for the Arabian Peninsula Reconstruction Agency. APRA would be another success in the UN's growing tally in establishing and maintaining lasting socio-political stability on Earth.

Just as the Arab League was proving its worth during the Oil Crash the European Union became an increasingly integrated and cohesive entity. On March 8th, 7 M12 the member-nations of the European Union officially released the proposed Constitutional Treaty to the public, initiating a series of referendums across Europe. The result was no surprise as nation after nation voted in favor. The Constitutional Treaty went into effect on January 1st, 8 M12 following the approval of the United Kingdom a month earlier, and the European Union truly became the government for all of Europe. Everything from Poland and the Baltic States to Turkey, Portugal, Iceland, Finland, and Norway was integrated into a single supernational federation becoming the first superstate. The newly consolidated EU was to be administered by a directly elected European Parliament, with full legislative powers, and the popularly elected Council of Ministers serving as the EU's executive body.

UNASUR saw similar pushes to consolidate the nations of South America into a single, cohesive bloc. The first major step forward, made much easier by the widespread adoption of the Nuevo Peso, were the first elections for the Congress of South America held on August 1st, 7 M12. One of the first acts of the newly-established Congress was the push to double the size of ECAS, establish permanent bases for ECAS forces in every member-nation, and the founding of the South American Investigative Service or SIAS. The expansion of ECAS and founding of the SIAS were critical steps forward in the consolidation of continental government in South America. The strengthening of ECAS, justified by their successes in Colombia, gave leaders much-needed support in dealing with guerillas in the hinterland and reduced defense costs for UNASUR members. The SIAS provided UNASUR member-nations with a central clearinghouse for information and cross-border coordination of law enforcement efforts, operating on a model best described as a hybrid of pre-Unification INTERPOL and the American Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The African Union, following the example of the EU and UNASUR, created their own continental legislative body in the form of the African Assembly on March 8th, 9 M12. This was followed swiftly after by the establishment of the Africa Force on June 7th, 9 M12 to serve in a similar capacity to EuroForce and ECAS. In East Asia the sprawling Shanghai Co-operation Organization underwent critical reforms culminating in their re-organization as the East Asian Co-operative Organization on September 8th, 7 M12. EACO, the time of its founding, was somewhere between NAFTA and the Arab League in terms of cohesion and structure. Primarily economic in form EACO's members, consisting of Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Mongolia, pledged mutual defense, open borders, and a pledge to synchronization of economic regulations in ten years.

The loss of influence at home coupled with the growth of Chinese influence abroad sparked an unexpected yet effective reaction on the part of the United States and NAFTA. Fearing Chinese economic expansionism and the loss of once taken for granted influence in Latin America the United States led a series of strenuous, closed-door negotiations culminating on September 8th, 7 M12 with the establishment of the Pacific Free Trade Agreement. The PFTA united the US, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and the Pacific island states into a single free trade and free movement area. India, driven by similar fears, pressed forward with their own diplomatic offensive forming the South Asia Free Trade Agreement. Through binding together the economies of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan on January 9th, 8 M12 SAFTA was a shield against Chinese influence and a potent mechanism for bringing the region together. Russia followed these efforts and the growing power of the EU through strengthening the Commonwealth of Independent States, calling for a referendum on a new Union Treaty in 9 M12.

The most profound change of this period was the passage and implementation of the Ban Reforms of 8 M12. Ban Ki-Moon, who was elected as UN Secretary General following his spearheading of the successful occupation of North Korea, saw the rise of super-states like UNASUR and the EU as a major problem for the structure of the UN Security Council. After an intense campaign of lobbying the Secretary-General pushed through a series of measures on August 8th, 8 M12 intended to resolve the problem. Security Council membership, for nations who were part of supranational federations like the CIS, the EU, EACO, the AU, and UNASUR, was now restricted to a single Security Council representative for their entire federation. The two vetoes previously held by Britain and France were re-assigned to the EU and UNASUR, respectively, while representation in the General Assembly would be based on the principle of one nation, one vote regardless of supranational status. The Ban Reforms set several critical precedents for the United Nations and were critical in laying the legal foundation for Unification."

From Chapter 3: The Rise of the New Global Order, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

"The numerous changes to life on Earth brought by the Interstellar Revolution should have brought enormous betterment for people's lives across the board. After all the rise of efficient renewable energy, cheap power production, 3D printing, automation, and solid state superconducting computers caused a number of far-reaching economic transformations. Labor needs and cost fell to unprecedented lows as production of all kinds became highly inexpensive in every way possible. Such conditions meant the massive armies of workers needed during the Industrial Period were no longer needed. Ideally this would have resulted in societies where labor and drudgery became things of the past.

Unfortunately for many living in the pre-Unification period this was not the case. Economic decision-making the world over was largely dominated by private interests whose main objective was to maximize profit and capital accumulation. This system, while effective for creating a plethora of consumer goods and comforts improving the global standard of living, could not function to its same potential in the changing socio-economic conditions of the period. Falling workforce sizes and crashing labor costs resulted in widespread unemployment, reducing spending power on the part of the average consumer and concentrating wealth in even fewer hands.

Only a handful of professions remained valuable and well-paying, most of which were highly technical and required very specialized training and education. These technicians were critical for designing and maintaining the highly complex technological systems dominating the global economy. Above them was corporate management and the owners, creating an increasingly shrinking mid-level element in an increasingly poor world. Outside of the owners and highest level managers job security was highly precarious at best. Even with the necessity of educators and technicians shrinking labor requirements meant the number of positions in need of filling was decreasing year by year. Many of these otherwise comfortable workers lived one paycheck away from destitution.

In the face of such massive unemployment national and supranational governments moved to provide whatever forms of alleviation they possibly could. Unemployment and housing benefits were expanded and extended, food aid programs soared in size, and police forces were bulked up to keep order in an increasingly uncertain world. These efforts were hamstrung by the growing fiscal crisis stimulated by the labor deficit. Governments had traditionally depended on taxing the income and economic activities of the population to meet their spending needs. As labor forces and incomes collapsed these revenue generating mechanisms imploded, leading to increasing shortfalls and cutbacks to social services. Economic consumers, caught in the middle of shrinking safety nets and falling income, were forced to take on enormous debt loads to make ends meet. Such debt-dependency created an additional, growing expense for many as rising interest costs sapped what little income they had.

Municipal and regional governments, facing the worst shortfalls, responded by increasing aggressive policing tactics using the funds collected in the form of bail, fines, and court fees to meet the spiraling costs of public relief programs. Asset forfeiture laws, first implemented in the United States during the 980s M11 as part of a series of anti-narcotics measures, became increasingly common in their existence and purview. The proceeds of the sale of seized assets, expropriated bank accounts, and confiscated real estate. In some cases the funds brought in by these measures were the majority of municipal and regional revenues.

These dire economic conditions accelerated the growth of the superstates and their acceptance by member-nations. Superstates provided their members with critical fiscal stability, shoring up an already desperate monetary situation. Organizations like the European Central Bank, the Bank of South America, the East Asian Monetary Fund, and the Arab League Bank provided members with bailout funds, low-interest sovereign loans, and generous repayment plans. The growth of deficit financing led to rising sovereign debt levels and the rapid growth of these organizations. Low-level inflation was averted thanks to the limited circulation of these funds through the wider economy but even still they were largely a stopgap measure.

In response to the growing instability, lack of services, and social upheaval across the planet many private business interests responded by taking up the slack for local law enforcement, limited social services, and resources like low-income housing for dwindling work forces. On paper these additional benefits made private sector employment an increasingly popular option in practice these resources came with very deep, painful fishhooks. In many cases workers were forced to take out loans from their employers to cover the cost of such forms of relief. Others discovered, much to their dismay, these benefits expired immediately following termination of employment throwing many onto the streets and into poverty. To better keep order many of these corporate communities employed security measures like walls, reinforced gates, and closed-circuit security systems in every street and home.

As these processes accelerated thanks to the growing interconnection of the global economy and the consolidation of free trade zones and networks people's lives became increasingly desperate. Public assistance, thanks to overstretched resources, was barely enough to survive on. Increasingly draconian policing measures pushed already desperate people closer to the edge, shrinking already limited pools of resources and assistance. The mass demonstrations during the Kinsey Coup and the Oil Crash were one symptom of the deeper problem of chronic, widespread underemployment and unemployment. The huge numbers of impoverished people, their precarious conditions, and dwindling opportunities created a massive powder keg of unrest waiting for just the right spark to set off. The vast, unemployed masses grew increasingly discontented as corporate and state police forces reacted with growing harshness and violence. These actions poured further fuel into the raging fire of popular outrage, escalating tensions worldwide."

From Chapter 4: Origins of the Post-Scarcity Economic Order, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"ROS CHILDS: Welcome to ABC News at noon. Today's top story: millions take to the streets worldwide demanding sweeping changes to social welfare systems and an end to controversial police practices. We go now to Sarah Clarke who is coming to us live from Sydney.

SARAH CLARKE: Thank you Ros. In cities around the world massive crowds of people have come out demanding immediate relief to their economic woes and an end to police asset seizure laws.

*Cut to footage of massive crowds in downtown Sydney. Banners have slogans like, "Respect Human Dignity", "No More Corporate Bailouts", and "End Free Trade". Tens of thousands fill the streets.*

CLARKE: Many of the people taking to the streets are destitute, living mostly on government benefits and private charity. Around the world most of the crowds taking to the streets today are utterly impoverished living one benefit check away from eviction and worse.

*Broadcast shows footage of huge crowds in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Johannesburg, Cairo, Hong Kong, Kolkatta, and Berlin. Everywhere banners denounce cutbacks to government services and evictions of poor families.*

CHILDS: Sarah do you think these demonstrations will have any sustaining impact on the debate on austerity raging in many of the world's capitals today?

CLARKE: Many of the people marching today hope this will be the case but others aren't so optimistic. The steady, growing string of job losses and layoffs in white and blue collar sectors and fierce competition for what work is available have many discouraged.

CHILDS: Thank you Sarah. According to our sources at Parliament House fierce debate rocks the Commonwealth Parliament on how to respond to the growing unemployment crisis with many predicting another round of austerity cuts is in store for Australia."

ABC News at Noon, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 1st 8 M12

"The culture of the post-Contact world was defined by the many different reactions people had to the widespread knowledge of the Goa'uld, the threat they posed humanity, and the increasing tensions on planet Earth. The common denominator for all people was fear and this showed in popular culture of the period. The critical element of this period was the shared nature and unprecedented form of the Goa'uld threat. There was no other period in human history where the whole planet was at the mercy of a massive, alien force with overwhelming firepower and military force. Even the threat of planetary nuclear war during the Cold War period could not compare in terms of sheer anxiety and fear. Unlike the people of the mid 950s and 960s M11 post-Contact humanity had no red phone or assurance the Goa'uld would or could be reasoned with.

These fears saw three main reactions across the planet. These can be best summarized as resistance, denial, and shock. These were rooted in basic fight, flight, and freeze responses making up the foundation of human psychology. Humanity, facing an unbelievably massive change to their understanding of the universe in a highly traumatic fashion, reacted instinctually and needed the means for processing their new reality. Each major impulse saw its own unique cultural manifestations with examples across all genres of popular culture.

Those responding in a fight-like fashion were drawn to a new wave of stories and narratives of heroic resistance to overwhelming danger. Heroic fantasy, space operas, science fiction, and war movies came to dominate popular culture like never before. Some of the best examples of the wave of epic fantasies sweeping the planet were the _Lord of the Rings_ saga, _Harry Potter_ , S.S. Rajamouli's famous _Ramayana_ , Sung-su Kim's _Romance of the Three Kingdoms_ film series, the works of Hayao Miyazaki , and Nickelodeon's Avatar franchise. Characterized by epic yet relatable heroes struggling against mighty odds these stories were held up as an inspiration for humanity in dark times. They also offered a feeling of escape from the world of the everyday viewer. Miyazaki's works are especially well-known for a combination of escapism and focusing on interpersonal problems, emphasizing the common humanity of his characters and subjects.

In science fiction and space operas there was a similar emphasis but with more focus placed on human ingenuity. Problems were resolved less through grit and epic clashes but more through cleverness and quick thinking. A revived Doctor Who, Spielberg's _Star Wars_ prequels(1), Star Trek's _Deep Space Nine_ and _Enterprise_ , Disney's _Tron_ franchise, and the highly successful _Torchwood_ series(2) were hallmarks of the resistance response in the world of science fiction. These works gave a sense of hope in a different sense less through direct appeals to the human spirit and more through demonstrating the power of human intellect and ingenuity. When facing a foe of indescribable yet technological power stories of overcoming such strength

Supplementing these classics was a return to World War II epics across the globe. Russian and Chinese cinema came to the fore in this genre exploring the Eastern Front and Chinese theaters of the later World Wars period with examples like _Burma Road_ , _Nanking_ , _1000 Days_ , and _Deliverance_ as long-standing genre classics. India's most famous work from this period was _Sunset in Asia_ , a four hour epic depicting the lows and highs of the struggle in Burma and British-held territories in East Asia. Along with American and British-produced series like _Band of Brothers_ , _The Desert Rats_ , _Anzio_ , and _Pacific_ epics these stories invoked the most recent human conflicts where the stakes approached those of the war with the Goa'uld. Video games based on these conflicts became record best-sellers across the board.

Denial was the second major reaction to a world with the Goa'uld. Many, faced with the sheer existential horror of what the Goa'uld threat presented, responded by seeking escape into a safer world where things seemed less dangerous than what faced people in reality. These works gave people such an option, providing a form of psychological sanctuary in a world of increasing danger and uncertainty. Fiction inspired by such a reaction was characterized by a combination of human dominance in their environment and a degree of technological mastery bordering on the fantastic.

One of the most famous examples of denialist fiction was Star Trek: _Voyager_. Its stories, unlike _Deep Space Nine_ and _Enterprise_ , focused far more on the sophistication of human technology and the exploration of the unknown. Struggle against impossible odds was replaced with the many difficulties of long-term deep space exploration and internal crew struggles. Many challenges in these series were resolved through clever application of science and technology. These television series were quite popular entries to the Trek franchise, praised for the inventiveness of the storylines and the contrast of superscience with very human problems.

Steampunk, a previously very minor genre, sees a similar explosion of interest. In stark contrast to the stellar setting of Star Trek steampunk works were set either on Earth or Earth-like planets. Technological development in such settings took on the forms and contours of Earth's Industrial Period with sophisticated devices built on foundations of steam power, clockwork mechanisms, and black powder. Jules Verne and HG Wells served as major sources of inspiration for the genre with its popularity exploding at the outset of M12. These works gave their readers a place for escape from the larger world replacing it with one of boundless optimism, wonder, and nostalgic novelty.

Stories of swashbuckling pirates also leapt across screens the world over, offering an escape to a seemingly simpler time of high seas adventure. Pirate media came to be produced on virtually every continent with a number of different variations on the general theme. Some, like American-made _Pirates of the Caribbean_ , the Irish film series _The Pirate Queen of Connacht,_ and the Hong Kong-produced _Wang Zhi_ , and the Algerian epic _Turgut Reis_ were sympathetic to their pirate stars portraying them as heroic adventurers, free spirits, and rebels striking out against their enemies with impunity and charismatic aplomb. Others, such as the Shanghai-made- _Yu Dayao_ , the British _Master and Commander_ series, and the Egyptian-made _Hunting Raynald_ , focused on those fighting the pirates. Depicted as forces of order and law the pirate hunters became a different sort of hero adding further depth to the growing genre.

The final common reaction shown in popular culture during the Contact period was one of total shock. Humanity, faced with an existential crisis unprecedented in human history, responded by retreating into further fear and horror. On its face this reaction is surprisingly contrary reaction but further examination argues otherwise. Horror stories historically have been used by human cultures across the galaxy as tools for teaching survival lessons and entertainment. Other stories dealt with the uncertainties unleashed by the enormous changes in the wake of First Contact.  
Cosmic horror would see a resurgence like no other genre of horror. The Goa'uld, as far as humanity was concerned, as a nightmare made flesh. As organic parasite capable of making their victims prisoners in their own body for eternity armed with incredibly sophisticated weaponry the Goa'uld were a horrifying enemy on every level. Their possible and known capabilities became fodder for those inspired the works of authors like Howard Philips Lovecraft. The sheer, unstoppable horror of the monstrosities of this subgenre, dwarfing the Goa'uld in many ways, posed an ever-present danger only delayed by luck, extraordinary sacrifice, and a great deal of suffering along the way. Every medium saw an explosion of such works with Guillermo del Toro's blockbuster classic _In the Mountains of Madness_ and John Carpenter's _The Call of Cthulhu_ as two of the best examples of cosmic horror in action.

Cyberpunk was the second major expression of the shock reaction to Contact. Fueled heavily by the massive upheaval unleashed by rapid technological developments cyberpunk became a venue for social commentary. Cyberpunk works of fiction focused on the increasing power, granted by technology, concentrated in the hands of a distant few. The sheer opulence of the powerful in cyberpunk stories was contrasted with the widespread, endemic poverty rampant the world over. In some cases cyberpunk crossed over with more conventional science fiction with the Sci Fi Channel's _Battlestar Galactica_ as a perfect example. Such works saw high technology not as the answer but the cause of humanity's downfall."

From Chapter 5: Living Under their Shadow, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

1\. Steven Spielberg agreed to helm the Star Wars prequel series following the tragic, unexpected death of George Lucas in a car crash during the immediate upheaval following First Contact on April 23rd, 998 M11.

2\. Which received generous funding from a number of benefactors linked to the IOC and later the PDC. Some theorize it was intended to serve as a sort of bait and switch form of coverup to better conceal the existence of the Stargate Program.


	7. Chapter 7: The Great Asteroid

**Chapter 7: The Great Asteroid**

Interlude – Kottamia Observatory, Egypt, March 29, 9 M12

"Ahmed! Stop day-dreaming! What is the latest from the Fakir Shamsee telescope?" barked Dr. Gamal al-Hamid, Ahmed ibn Bana's supervisor and the section head for Solar System Astronomy. Ahmed groaned, "It's coming up now Doctor." When he was given the chance to work at Kottamia Observatory, the largest center for astronomy research in the Arab World, he was dreaming of the chance to plunge the depths of the stars. Much to his surprise he was assigned to work under Dr. al-Hamid cataloguing objects in the solar system. This, he thought, was not what he had in mind when he applied to Azhar University's Astrophysics program.

Ahmed picked himself and headed off to the observatory canteen. Even with the latest SSS systems in place it would take the computer some time to process, catalog, and plot the data from this scan. Kottamia, as part of a new UN program to better track in-system activity, worked in conjunction with observatories around the world to keep an accurate tally of everything floating from the Oort Cloud to the upper atmosphere. Officially the UN claimed it was intended to track satellite debris but everyone knew such information would be vital in the event of an alien attack. Ahmed, while aware of this, didn't find counting rocks and satellites to be terribly exciting or Earth-shaking work.

After filling up his cup at the samovar in the canteen Ahmed sat back down at his work station, poring over the results of the new scan. At first he didn't notice much out of the ordinary, having done so many scan reviews in the past three months. It was when he checked the Asteroid Belt objects that Ahmed felt a slow, creeping sensation in his stomach. He pulled up data from the last scan, comparing it to a sector of space just past Mars. A huge asteroid, easily the size of the dinosaur-killer that struck Earth 65 million years ago, had moved from its earlier position in the asteroid belt to just past Mars. Ahmed frowned in consternation; asteroids didn't move that fast in a matter of hours.

His stomach tightened as the error check software completed its calculations, assuring Ahmed the data on the screen was the real thing. Seeing the size of the object he immediately pulled up its projected stellar trajectory. In that instant Ahmed's heart froze as he shouted, "Dr. al-Hamid! You need to come see this right away!" Dr. al-Hamid walked briskly over replying, "What's going on Ahmed? You look like you've seen a ghost." Ahmed gestured wildly at the screen, "If these readings are correct then we are looking at the end of the world!" Dr. al-Hamid frowned, "Surely it can't be as bad as…" as his words trailed off, his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. He immediately reached for his phone, waiting impatiently for the thumbprint scanner to finish unlocking.

"This is Dr. Gamal al-Hamid at Kollitami Observatory! We've got an emergency situation on the solar objects scan! We have a confirmed sighting of a planet-killing object on course for Earth. I repeat we have a confirmed sighting of a planet-killing object!" Dr. al-Hamid put his hand over the phone for a moment and turned to Ahmed, "Get the data upload started now!" Ahmed, his mouth bone dry, hurriedly nodded his head and got to work. The sooner the information got to the UN Space Agency the better, with how fast this asteroid was moving every second mattered. Dr. al-Hamid closed his phone with a weary, ashen look. Ahmed turned to his supervisor saying, "Do you think this could be the doing of the Space Snakes?" Dr. al-Hamid wearily rubbed his face and sighed, "If it is I pray Allah will deliver us."

"The sighting of Ammit, one of the largest asteroids ever recorded in the Terran system's history, was a key turning point in human history. The events of this week were a powerful shared moment for all Terrans, a shared trauma eclipsing even First Contact. The Ammit Crisis, referred to by some as the Apocalypse, began on 05:35 +2 UTC March 29, 9 M12 when the Kollitami Observatory in Egypt first spotted the asteroid. Astronomers were astonished at the massive size of the rock, its speed, and most chillingly the lack of any prior indication of Ammit's existence anywhere in the solar system. This final element was truly disturbing for scientists at Kollitami and the United Nations Space Agency as Ammit was estimated to be 25 kilometers long, 15 kilometers wide, and 20 kilometers tall making it even larger than the object believed to have brought about the end of the Cretaceous Period sixty five million years ago.

The sightings and verification by observatories around the world were the first drops of a massive downpour. One of the many consequences of First Contact was a new wave of amateur astronomy organizations, telescope manufacturers, and conferences raising interest and awareness in the happenings of the stars worldwide. Many such organizations, assisted by the International Astronomical Union, worked directly with local universities and researchers putting amateurs in direct contact with the professionals. These hobbyists were the next to spot Ammit, sending information on the massive object racing through social media and email like wildfire. Within hours of the Kollitami sighting most of the world had high-quality digital images, accurate data, and the estimated trajectories plotted by researchers from around the world.

The impact of this information was instantaneous and enormous. The speed and sheer number of sources, perspectives, and data overwhelmingly proved beyond any doubt a crisis of unprecedented proportions was facing what was, at the time, the entire known human race. Faced with the prospect of complete, total, and undeniable oblivion humanity responded in a number of ways. Some responded with grim determination to somehow defeat this imminent threat. Others descended into bacchanalian orgies of consumption, intent on meeting the end of the world with a final moment of pleasure. A few resigned themselves to the end.

Those who raged against the coming night reacted to Ammit's arrival with ferocious determination. Spontaneous community meetings erupted across the planet as people debated what, if any, actions could be taken in the face of the coming demise. Military, emergency service, and law enforcement personnel were mobilized on a global scale with the vast majority, contrary to the expectations of some, reporting for duty. In much of the USA, the EU, Russia, and the PRC old nuclear fallout shelters, constructed during the Cold War, were re-opened either on the initiative of local officials and community groups, re-stocked, and made ready to take in huge numbers of refugees. Many of the world's religious practitioners flocked to their houses of worship, holding twenty four hour services and rituals for their adherents beseeching whatever higher powers they revered for deliverance. The most famous examples were Pope Luke's continuous service lead from Vatican City and the 14th Dalai Lama's global vigil.

The spontaneous, grim revels erupting in the wake of Ammit's sighting, dubbed "Earth's Wake" by American news broadcaster Dan Rather, make up the aspect most commonly depicted in modern popular culture of those dark days. These spontaneous, morbid, and grim celebrations were very much a desperate act of escape inspired by the seemingly impending destruction of the human race. Groups came together in spontaneous sendoffs for Earth and the human race. Some of these, such as the San Francisco, Puerto Vallerta, Paris, Bali, and St. Petersburg street festivals, blended together into larger spontaneous carnivals of excess.

In some cases communities broke out in rioting and violence as many took what they felt was their last chance for resolving standing grievances. In some places simmering tensions and unrest boiled over into outright revolution as the dispossessed, downtrodden, and defiant seized their last chance for justice. The Pakistani Civil War was easily the most brutal example of such upheaval. For years the Pakistani government was skirting closer to the edge of disintegration thanks to the increasing power of military factions, led by Inter-Services Intelligence, and the decline of the civilian government's influence. The Musharraf Coup and growing conflict in Afghanistan between the Taliban and their rivals, where the ISI was heavily invested, destabilized the precarious situation setting the stage for what followed under Ammit's shadow. Shortly after news of the asteroid arrived tribal forces in the north and the people in the major cities spontaneously rose up. Rallied by a host of leaders, both religious and secular, these groups swiftly overwhelmed the unprepared Pakistani military. Within hours the government was forced to flee, receiving sanctuary in the African Union as the country collapsed into total disorder.

A handful responded with total resignation. Millions worldwide, viewing the coming asteroid as an unstoppable end, reacted with a fatalistic acceptance of the end. Suicides, both individual and mass, soared during the first hours of the Ammit crisis continuing for the rest of the week's unfolding terror. In some places murder-suicides, often involving whole families, spiked as many ended the lives of their loved ones on what they felt were better terms than the horrors the asteroid would bring. Others sought out family, old friends, and others to spend time with in the world's final moments.

Civil order was breaking down as Ammit hurtled towards the planet. Authorities, for their part, responded by working to keep essential traffic and work moving. Anything unrelated to these vital tasks was largely left to its own devices as the asteroid moved closer. All of the rising tensions came to a head when the Planetary Defense Commission came forward. At 11:00 UTC on March 29 the leaders of the PDC member nations revealed the existence of the Stargate to the world."

From Chapter 6: Apocalypse, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12

*The leaders of the Planetary Defense Commission members are seated at a large table in the UN General Assembly chamber, each with their national flag in front of them and a small nameplate. Al Gore, President of the United States of America, is standing at the podium.*

PRESIDENT AL GORE: Representatives of the members of the United Nations, leaders of the world, and people of Earth. We come to you in this planet's darkest hour to reveal a great secret that has been kept to better secure our planet's defense.

In 1994 a team of US military researchers, scientists, and archeologists successfully activated an alien device first discovered in Egypt. This device, known as the Stargate, transported them to another world thousands of lightyears from Earth in a single instant. It was through this discovery that people from Earth first encountered the Goa'uld and their agents.

Since then war has raged between our peoples. In the wake of First Contact we reached out to our most trusted allies and others who had discovered this truth. Together we have engaged in operations to acquire Goa'uld technology, reverse-engineer it, and find ways to apply these advances to better secure the defense of Earth.

Though many involved in these efforts have questioned the wisdom of revealing this information the impending disaster for humanity is too great for this to remain secret any longer. As we speak a team of the best of the Stargate Program's operatives is preparing a mission with a captured alien craft to plant an explosive on the asteroid known as Ammit and divert its course from Earth.

This, however, is not enough to safeguard the future of our world. Through the Stargate Program we have established a network of safe, offworld outposts on worlds fit for human habitation. To prepare for the possibility this operation may fail the participants in the Stargate Program have agreed to do whatever we can to evacuate as much of the human race from Earth to offworld sites as possible. Though we cannot save everyone we will do all we can to guarantee the future and survival of the human race.

We ask now that all the nations and people of the world come together in the moment of our planet's greatest crisis. We must all work together in this dire moment or else we will surely perish.

Transcript from the live BBC Broadcast, 11:00 UTC March 29

"The Ammit Crisis was a major turning point in Terran economic history. In a single week everything once taken for granted was turned upside down. This should not be surprising as the arrival of Ammit was an existential threat like no other. The rapid spread of information, amplified by the 24 hour news cycle and Internet-enabled word of mouth spread, heightened fear and tension the world over. The reactions of humanity, the effective global state of emergency, and the breakdown of civil order in several places wrought enormous economic chaos. The disclosure of the existence of the Stargate Program, coupled with the plans for planetary evacuation, threw everything into a vicious fever pitch.

Worldwide the response of the holders of capital and wealth was near-universal. Easily liquidated assets were sold off as rapidly as possible. Everything from stocks and bonds to businesses and real estate went at fire sale prices. Markets and exchanges the world over fell apart as the floor of capital holding them up crumbled under them. Bank accounts were drained as the wealthy, well to do, and even those with a handful to hang on to pulled out every single scrap of money they could. Financial institutions, facing a run of unprecedented proportions, simply imploded in the face of the crisis.

Many tried to use these newly-freed assets to purchase their way onto the evacuation groups. In many cases this would be futile as most governments used a skill-based rolling lottery similar to pre-existing forms of mass conscription. Others spent it on whatever they thought could bring them safety or at least some comfort from the coming asteroid. Fallout shelters and nuclear bunkers saw thousands flocking to their doors offering huge amounts of money for a chance at escape. Others expended truly prodigious sums of monetary and fiscal resources on the famous revels of Earth's Wake, adding a lavish and carnivalesque air to the desperate revels shaking the world.

As trade ground to a halt, banks shut, and businesses closed many reacted in a different fashion. The vast numbers of unemployed and underemployed, living literally paycheck to paycheck to stay alive, responded in a very different fashion from those seeking to get one last use out of their wealth. These working masses, dispossessed by the changes to modes of production during the previous decade, struck back against circumstances by taking direct control of their now-idle workplaces. Farmworkers took control of fields, miners laid claim to their mines, sailors seized ships, and manufacturing workers appropriated factories.

Historians debate to this day why so many people responded to the seeming end of the world. There are some, like Roger Perrit, who claim these actions were a desperate attempt to assert some control over their lives. Unlike the well to do or those on a higher lottery category for evacuation the great masses of Earth had few options outside of the world's final send-off and responded by taking control of what little they could. Others, such as Akita Kurasawa, see this as a more deliberate and hopeful course of action. The promise of the asteroid's aversion by the world's leaders coupled with the sudden flight of the former owners of these assets inspired many, influenced by the growing pool of economic theories propagated by the Globalist movement, to take direct action.

The case of the seizure of the Tesla Automotive Works in Fremont, California is often used as proof of the latter theory. Recently laid-off factory workers, upon hearing news of CEO and Founder Elon Musk's successful purchase of a slot bound for Delta Site, surrounded the building and rapidly gained entry. After taking control of the factory the workers released a manifesto articulating exactly why they took actions denounced by contemporaries as drastic and unjustified. It concluded by arguing,

"Even though we face what could very well be the last days of our lives and of the entire world we can never abandon the pursuit of justice and a better life for all. If the world does end in the coming days then we will face it certain we never abandoned the most essential calling of all people."

From Chapter 5: The Ammit Crisis, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"Ammit's sighting caught Stargate Command offguard but not flat-footed. The long struggle with the Goa'uld during the post-Contact period pushed the personnel of the SGC to consider any and every possibility. New discoveries, technological marvels leftover by the Ancients and those crushed by the Goa'uld, and the constantly shifting Succession War forced SGC officers and personnel to think on the fly. It was from these experiences Stargate Command's famous reputation for improvisation and adaptability first developed. Even still the Ammit Asteroid proved to be a formidable challenge for the SGC. During those critical seven days the fate of Earth and all of its inhabitants was in the PDC's hands.

The initial projections for Ammit predicted it would make direct impact with Earth seven days following its sighting, giving very little time to mobilize any assets not immediately at the ready. Computer simulations, data projections, and wargames concluded at the present velocity and disposition of space-based and Earthside total obliteration of the asteroid was neither possible nor desirable. Even the newest models of naquadriah torpedoes were insufficient in quantity or explosive power to completely destroy an asteroid of Ammit's size and density. Planners estimated large chunks of asteroid would break off during the resulting volley and pummel the planet, causing considerable civilian casualties and permanent environmental damage.

These greatly undesirable consequences forced the PDC to consider a different set of options. It was in these desperate moments the personnel of SG-1 offered another option. They argued it was possible to use Earth's only fully operational Tel'tak to fly onto the asteroid, plant a specially prepared shaped naquadriah bomb in the right location, and knock the asteroid onto a course away from impact. It would take time to prepare the bomb and survey Ammit but, unlike the space-based plan proposed by fleet officers, could be put into effect faster even with these factors taken into account.

Ultimately the PDC settled on a plan that was a hybrid of both. Operation DRAGONSLAYER consisted of two major components. SG-1 would fly Terra's sole Tel'tak with the shaped naquadriah bomb to the surface of Ammit, arrive and plant the bomb two days prior to impact, set the timer, and fly away as fast as possible. If, for whatever reason, the shaped detonation failed to adequately redirect the course of Ammit System Defense Ships armed with naquadriah and naquadah torpedoes would fire volleys of all ordnance available. One way or the other Earth would be saved.

On April 4 DRAGONSLAYER went into action. During the previous hours and days SEWACS tracked the location of Ammit giving the waiting personnel in the SGC minute by minute reports on its exact location and trajectory. Four System Defense Ships, the _Yangzte,_ the _Mississippi_ , the _Thames_ , and the _Rhine_ , were loaded up with Earth's entire naquadriah weapons arsenal and spent the previous days maneuvering themselves directly between Ammit and its expected position. Operations were coordinated directly from Cheyenne Mountain with General George Hammond in personal command of all aspects of DRAGONSLAYER.

At 0525 UTC SG-1's Tel'tak, codenamed BLACK ARROW, landed on Ammit's Earth-facing surface. As the bomb was loaded onto its robotic lifter Maj. Carter performed a series of scans to pinpoint the precise location for implanting the warhead. It was during these scans DRAGONSLAYER ran into its first major snag. The Tel'tak's scanners picked up distinctive, unmistakable traces of naquadah radiation. When Maj. Carter further analyzed the data she concluded, much to everyone's shock, Ammit's mass was 99.98% refined naquadah. Further scans by the Tel'tak detected the presence of a small naquadah generator attached to a non-functioning but intact and unusually large Goa'uld cloaking device.

On 0624 this data was relayed to the ship commanders in orbit and Stargate Central Command. Analysts at Area 51 and Red Mountain concluded detonating the bomb or firing a single torpedo would trigger a chain reaction detonating the entire asteroid. Climatologists predicted even in the most optimal circumstances the resulting shockwave would fry Earth's atmosphere rendering the planet completely uninhabitable. Cheyenne Mountain was paralyzed with shock, trapped in a total no-win scenario.

At 0940 Maj. Carter and Teal'c contacted Central Command with a new, more audacious plan. They believed it was possible to overload the Tel'tak's hyperdrive and create an abnormally large subspace window. Actually attempting this had no guarantee of success and even if Ammit was successfully transported past Earth there was no way of knowing where it would emerge into realspace or if the Tel'tak would survive. In those tense moments General Hammond asked SG-1 if they were willing to undertake such a risk. Col. O'Neill, after less than a minute, replied, "We'll do whatever needs to be done. Just keep the flyboys ready to pick us up." For the next several hours Central Command held its breath as Carter and Teal'c reconfigured the hyperdrive for overload as Ammit came within visual range of Earth."

From Chapter 8: The Great Asteroid, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12

*Red Square, Moscow is packed with people. Jumboscreens are in place all around the Square as the lights around the Kremlin are all on. Spotlights are in the sky aimed at the last known position of Ammit, tracking the asteroid. The object itself is on display on the Jumboscreens, rendering it in precise detail.*

"IVAN GROZNY: This is Ivan Grozny with NTV reporting to you live from Red Square in Moscow. Tens of thousands pack the square and the surrounding streets keeping a close watch on the sky as the Ammit asteroid hurtles closer to impact. The last of those selected in the evacuation lottery have been loaded up leaving those of us still on Earth nothing left but wait.

President Vladimir Putin is standing watch himself in the Kremlin, awaiting the end of Russia and the world as we know it."

*Cameras zoom in on the highest balcony of the Kremlin. Putin stands with a pair of binoculars pressed against his eyes.*

"GROZNY: Churches and cathedrals across Russia are packed with worshipers praying for some miracle that may stave off the world's destruction. However people respond there is no question that-"

*On the Jumboscreens there is a brief, bright flash. As the flash clears Ammit is nowhere to be seen. The crowd reacts almost immediately with confusion and disbelief. Ivan Grozny puts his hand firmly on his earpiece, listening intently.*

"GROZNY: We seem to be getting some new information from Hilo Observatory."

*Grozny listens longer. Cameras zoom in on Putin who is deeply intent on his satellite phone.*

"GROZNY: We have confirmation! Ammit has been sighted in the skies over Hawaii on trajectory away from the planet! I can't believe it!"

*Crowd erupts in thunderous cheers, outburst, and tearful shouts of joy. Putin is seen openly weeping from his Kremlin perch.*

NTV Live Broadcast from Red Square, Moscow, 22:00 UTC+3 April 5 9 M12

"The instant Ammit was confirmed to be off-course and sailing away from Earth the entire planet exploded with shock, elation, and celebration. The grim revels of Earth's Wake rapidly changed tone and character from mournful goodbye to raucous joy. Spontaneous celebrations erupted across the world as the people of Terra shared a powerful moment. In the hours that followed the Planetary Defense Commission released what information could be safely revealed on the nature and actions of Operation DRAGONSLAYER, proving to Earth's inhabitants their deliverance was thanks to human action. The impact of this single moment is one scholars argue changed the course of history and humanity's self-conception more dramatically than any other.

In stark contrast to the shouting, happy crowds were the furious actions of the world's governments and the United Nations. The days leading up to the resolution of the Ammit Crisis saw economic chaos and upheaval unprecedented in human history. Vast amounts of capital had been liquidated, assets hurriedly and chaotically redistributed, workplaces seized, and financial markets were in total ruin. Compounding this were the political crises of revolutions, civil war in Pakistan carrying with it the threat of loose nuclear warheads, and the sudden dislocation of populations preparing for riding out the asteroid's impact. Ammit had shaken Earth to its foundations.

On April 6th, within six hours of Ammit's safe re-emergence from subspace on trajectory away from Earth, all of the UN member nations came together in an emergency summit in New York. The Planetary Defense Commission spent the next month briefing the representatives and agents of their governments on everything they knew regarding the Goa'uld, the System Lords, and the greater galaxy. The initial reaction was intense outrage at the secrecy and stakes the PDC's members were playing at, feeling this cavalier attitude put all of Terra in great danger. Hand in hand with disclosure came increasingly up to date and complete information on the socio-economic situation of planet Earth. The prospects were very grim.

The New York Summit led to a number of sweeping, dramatic reforms for planetary governance, policy, and unity. The first major reform of the Summit was S/RES 1871 and A/RES/63/275 collectively known as the Planetary Defense Act. This agreement stipulated the operations of the Planetary Defense Commission would now come under UN scrutiny and direct control forming the basis of the new Department for Planetary Defense. General George Hammond, the commander of DRAGONSLAYER and most experienced officer in offworld affairs, was chosen as the first Chief of the Combined Chiefs of Staff for the DPD. The second major reform from the Summit was S/RES 1874 and A/RES/63/281 better known as the Planetary Reconstruction Act. The PRA gave the United Nations Secretariat the authority to resolve the economic chaos sweeping the planet, entrusting these duties to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Making these massive plans possible was one of the most far-reaching reforms to the United Nations in its entire history. S/RES 1873 and A/RES/63/279, known as the Global Revenue Act, approved direct taxation and contributions by the UN of member-nations to fund the DPD and DESA's activities. These funds, at this time, were expressly limited for use in planetary defense and economic reconstruction and reconciliation efforts. On paper the UN was to assist national governments in making all of this happen. In practice the chaotic situation and considerable resources now vested in the global organization gave them a great deal of influence in what happened and how.

These negotiations further cemented the primacy and status of the superstates in the new global order. S/RES 1870 and S/RES 1872, requested by India and the governments of Africa respectively, authorized the deployment of Peacekeepers in enormous numbers to assist in stabilizing regions rocked by upheaval during the Ammit Crisis. African Union forces supported by 350,000 Peacekeepers entered Uganda, Zaire, Nigeria, and Liberia effectively imposing martial law and paved the way for reconstruction efforts to begin. Indian troops, backed up by 200,000 Peacekeepers and troops from Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, marched into what was once Pakistan and Afghanistan and worked to put a halt to open conflict.

It was also at the Summit the first steps to a galactic colonization policy were taken. S/RES 1875 and A/RES/63/283 declared all offworld possessions of Earth's national governments were officially under the administration of the United Nations Secretariat. These were provisionally placed under the Office of Offworld Affairs, a new branch of DESA, who would be responsible for surveying, administering human settlement, and maintaining the infrastructure of offworld possessions. The OOA found itself facing a huge task of sorting out the newly-settled evacuees and how to handle future migration to these possessions. These problems, along with the other initial reforms at New York, would see more permanent solutions implemented at the famous Nairobi Convention."

From Chapter 4: The Road to Unification, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

"As the Ammit Asteroid hurtled for Earth other major developments were unfolding in the galaxy at large. Just as Earth was developing a new sense of shared, collective identity the decline of the major powers in the interstellar political world was entering a period of increasing intensity. The Goa'uld Succession War had wrecked the Empire, leaving much of its territory in shambles. Across Goa'uld held territories Jaffa and human slaves rose in rebellion increasingly frequently scoring several unexpected victories. Mirroring these changes the Asgard saw their stalemate with the Replicators take a turn for the worse as the growing number of machines wore down Asgard defenses and military forces. Humanity, in contrast, was seeing increasing cohesion and opportunities emerge as Earth's growing reach pulled elements of the Great Diaspora together.

The Goa'uld Empire, already in a state of extended and bloody turmoil, was entering a new period within the extended war. The fall of Apophis and Sokar's bloody war had greatly upset the existing balance of power making it possible for previously minor System Lords to rise to unexpected influence. The ebb and flow of war dragged more worlds into the conflict as either participants, sources of necessary material, or battlefields. Upsets during the course of this conflict, like the death of Kronus at the hands of the SGC, further complicated an unstable situation causing dramatic swings in the fortunes of all participants.

The increasing destabilization of the Empire brought with it a rise of internal disorder and conflict unexpected and unprecedented in Goa'uld history. The growing disaffection among the Jaffa, loss of resources, and increasing deprivation on numerous worlds across the empire spurred a new wave of violence throughout the galaxy. Many Underlords and Planet Lords, facing increasing demands from their liege lords and decreasing capacity to meet these strict requirements, were forced to resort to unexpected measures to keep their personal forces and resource flows moving. The less powerful of these Lords resorted to smuggling, black market trade, and other informal economic mechanisms for shoring up their domestic and military situations.

The growth of this galactic black market spurred new responses to meet the demands of increasingly voracious Goa'uld administrators fighting over shrinking pools of resources. The most well-known, violent, and devastating was the rise of interstellar piracy. System Lords, Underlords, and Planet Lords all approached the problem of declining economic production by finding new ways to pillage their rivals and enemies. In the most overt expressions many System Lords sponsored privateers, both in the form of their own troops detached for such duties and those of defecting or mutinying forces from the ranks of their foes, to raid the territories of their enemies for slaves, resources, and other necessary war materiel. Underlords and Planet Lords joined in, sponsoring more clandestine operations against the resources of the enemies of their liege lords as well as rivals who were nominally allies in struggle against other System Lords.

The growing black market and privateering inspired a wave of genuine piracy across the Empire. Many privateers, discovering the wealth and resources moving through the black market, came to the conclusion they could do better striking out on their own than giving a large cut of the proceeds to their sponsors. Even the seemingly indefatigable and unquestionably loyal Jaffa tasked with these assignments undertook their own side projects. The most powerful and confident set up outposts in hollowed out asteroids, distant planets, and other boltholes across the galaxy. These raids operations forced many System Lords to pull back troops from the front lines to maintain internal order. One particular tactic of the raiders, attacks on Goa'uld communications satellites and planetary relays meant to delay the arrival of enemy reinforcements, further crippled the Empire's ability to function forcing System Lords and Underlords to rely more and more on interstellar couriers to deliver vital information.

In this context of growing destabilization it is understandable why not only the System Lords but the Tok'ra and Terran intelligence completely misunderstood the significance of a growing series of large-scale assaults across the Empire. These forces, much like the pirate and privateer operations, targeted enemy communication systems and more isolated outposts of Goa'uld power that nonetheless played vital logistical and economic roles for their former owners. Unlike these forces none of the attacks were preceded by the usual demand for tribute and surrender on the pain of assault or was it announced who was participating in the attacks. These forces came out of the depths of space, struck at vulnerable targets, and forcibly occupied many worlds in a seemingly random, unpredictable pattern. The strength of the attacks, their similarity to pirate raids, and the greater threat posed by rival System Lords prevented any cohesive response from developing, giving space for these unidentified forces to consolidate their position across the galaxy.

Across the vast gulfs between galaxies the Asgard were facing their own stark challenges. Unlike those of the Goa'uld their war with the Replicators was taking on an increasingly existential edge. Where once it was possible for the Asgard, thanks to the firepower of their ships and sophistication of their technology, to hold the Replicators at bay the circumstances were changing. As the Replicators seized more worlds, in particular ones totally uninhabitable to the Asgard but viable for machines, their resources accumulated and the size of their forces grew. Soon their armies and fleets reached levels where they were simply too vast for the Asgard to effectively contain. What was once a bloody stalemate turned into a war the Asgard were slowly losing. World after world fell, fleets were trounced, and the Asgard watched as their once-mighty civilization began to crumble before their eyes.

In response the Asgard increased the militarization of their resources, amassed more ships, and put many projects once seen as critical to their survival on the backburner to focus solely on the war effort. It was in these circumstances the Asgard received word from Terra of the Ammit Asteroid, the presence of a Goa'uld cloaking device, and the asteroid's chemical composition. This forced a major change in Asgard policy regarding Terra. The Ammit Asteroid, had it been successful, would never have aroused Asgard suspicions. Its deflection and the discovery of its true nature was another matter completely. Facing an increasingly desperate military situation at home and clear evidence at least some of the System Lords were no longer intimidated by Asgard power the High Council voted to provide unprecedented military and technological aid to Earth."

From Chapter 7: The Beginning of the End of the Great Galactic Powers, _Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12

"The Ammit Asteroid Resolution of the Asgard High Council, hard on the heels of Full Disclosure, was a major transformative moment for Terra. In the years leading up to the Ammit Asteroid Resolution Terran technological progress on true, interstellar travel remained an elusive and much sought after objective. Researchers at Omega Site and Earthside encountered numerous difficulties in effectively reverse engineering Goa'uld hyperdrive technology. The main problems were those of producing sufficiently massive amounts of energy for creating the subspace window needed for travel and keeping the volume of power from causing serious internal damage. The Stargate remained the main avenue for interstellar travel for Terra, limiting what could be done and leaving many human worlds highly vulnerable to Goa'uld stellar assault.

The Gift of the Asgard changed all of this. As Terran officials were meeting In New York to discuss the future of their world the Asgard arrived, rather dramatically, aboard three warships. Led by Supreme Commander Thor this delegation beamed directly into the main conference hall to present the highly unexpected but much appreciated offer of technological aid. The Asgard, fully aware of the limitations of human technology at the time, came bearing the gifts of viable hyperdrive systems, more sophisticated and efficient reactor technology, new leaps forward in Artificial Intelligence technology, and energy shield generators considered up to par to the most potent of Goa'uld weaponry.

What was most critical of the Asgard's Gift for Earth was not just the technology provided but how it was done. Contrary to the assumptions of many science fiction writers of the time and before understanding alien technology was not a simple matter of plug and play, easy analysis, and direct adoption. Some of the systems and materials used by the Goa'uld and Asgard were several major scientific leaps ahead of Terran understanding. Others employed scientific principles that were completely beyond any hope of understanding. The Gift of the Asgard circumvented these problems by providing equivalents to their own technology that was designed using knowledge and materials Terran scientists could understand and replicate.

The most profound impact of the Gift was in the field of power generation. As sophisticated as superconducting materials, naquadah fusion, thorium fusion, and new forms of renewable energy were Asgard improvements provided a number of boons. The most critical was the data and materials necessary for stabilizing fusion reactions. More stable fusion reactors made it possible for human scientists and engineers to dramatically improve how much energy could be safely produced. Improved processes and growing miniaturization made reactors more compact and portable.

The technologies used to overhaul fusion saw similar applications in renewable energy, greatly increasing the amount of energy captured and reducing size. The best example of these major leaps forward was the public release of microsolar panels. Microsolar panels were the first examples of solar power on a microscopic scale. The first microsolar panels packed hundreds of cells into the space of a single post-Contact period cell, increasing power generation capacity and the redundancy of solar systems. Planetside microsolar arrays provided people with critical power generation capacity for immediate infrastructure construction and residential electrical systems. In space starships and orbital installations used these systems to power life support, backup power batteries, and artificial gravity leaving more heavy-duty tasks like weapons, engines, and shields to the far more powerful fusion reactors.

Hand in hand with the major leaps forward in energy generation were new developments in computer programming. SSS systems, combined with new improvements to design offered by the Asgard, resulted in great strides forward in terms of processing power, speed, and capacity. These new developments came together on February 8th 10 M12 when Silicon Valley researchers working hand in hand with Prometheus Research Base announced the development of the first generation of genuine AI. Compared to earlier proto-AIs first generation AI was the first example of truly self-aware, adaptable, and flexible programs. These AIs were capable of effectively managing difficult, unpredictable tasks like managing reactors and coordinating public transit systems.

The results were major leaps forward in starship design, capabilities, and technology. The main obstacles to effective hyperdrives and interstellar vessels were the critical lack of reliable, stable, and easily managed power systems. Asgard assistance in the fields of power generation and AI made it possible, for the first time in Terran history, for ships to travel at faster than light speeds without the use of a Stargate. The development of the hyperdrive is seen by many technological historians as the true turning point in the Interstellar Revolution, consolidating the star of faster than light travel, renewable energy, AI, 3D printing, and fusion power. Others argue the prior developments of the post-Contact period made the Interstellar Revolution possible with hyperdrive as the culminating moment confirming this.

Three ships were seen as the hallmarks of the first Unification-era vessels and set the tone for Terran interstellar vessel design. Terran ships were built with two major concerns guiding their design philosophy. The first was the preservation of the ship as best as possible. Ships represented a major investment for Earth during these early years and needed to be as resilient and easily salvaged as possible. The second major concern was preserving their crews. Crews were just as critical as ships consisting of highly trained specialists who were difficult to replace. To meet these needs vessels had airtight internal compartments, long duration escape pods, and thick armor. Unification-period ships were known for their simple, rugged design, use of manual backups and mechanical failsafes, and ease of maintenance. Ships also came with on-board hydroponics labs, fish tanks, and kennels for chickens and goats to provide a steady supply of fresh food for the crew.

The best example of these principles was the United Nations Starship _Unity_ , the first of the Unity class of Starcruisers who was first launched in 10 M12. The _Unity_ was a sizeable vessel, measuring a total of 250 meters in length, 65 abeam, and topped out at 60 meters in draft from top to bottom. It was equipped with a fully functional hyperdrive, EM drives for sublight propulsion capable of reaching 0.1 lightspeed, and was powered by a combination of armored microsolar arrays and a naquadah fusion generator sheathed in a military grade Faraday Cage. Its armaments loadout was quite formidable, consisting of four 25 centimeter twin rail cannon turrets, placed fore and aft on the dorsal and ventral positions, six naquadriah torpedo launchers in two sets of three placed fore and aft, and a total of forty 75 millimeter point defense quad railguns scattered across the ship. _Unity_ had a crew of 250 along with a contingent of 100 marines and was capable of operating without re-provisioning for a year.

The _Unity_ paralleled the launch of two major Terran civilian ship designs that went hand in hand with the _Unity_. The first was the celebrated _Acorn_ class colony ship. _Acorns_ were 300 meters long, 100 meters abeam, and 75 meters in draft. Equipped with dual fusion cores _Acorns_ had heavier shields, fast sublight engines, and a great deal of redundancy and equipment devoted to their longevity. _Acorns_ were capable of carrying 10,000 passengers in relative comfort along with having cargo space for critical construction equipment. These ships worked side by side with the equally well-known _Galleon_ class cargo haulers. Measuring in at 400 meters in length, 100 abeam, and 75 in draft _Galleons_ were capable of carrying a total of 50,000 TEUs[1] snugly and securely in their massive holds. These ships came with a handful of point defense batteries, depending more on military escorts, hyperdrives, and powerful shield generators to ward off attack.

These new ships were the foundations of Terran interstellar development during the Unification period. With as much attention as these faster than light vessels attract in the public's imagination they were greatly aided by new developments in sublight vessels. The two best examples of these improvements were the _Durin_ class mining ships and the _Cossack_ class System Defense Ships. _Durins,_ who first cut their teeth on the remnants of the Ammit Asteroid following the Asgard's careful dismantling of its mass into small, manageable chunks, made it possible for Terrans to extract huge amounts of minerals off-planet and without the downsides of Earthside mining. _Cossacks,_ now equipped with the latest in fusion reactors, shield generation, and rail cannons, were far more formidable vessels and capable of operating at far higher speeds compared to their earlier predecessors."

From Chapter Six: Leaping Across the Stars, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12

[1] Twenty foot equivalent units, the standard modern day shipping container


	8. Chapter 8: Brave New World

**Chapter 8: Brave New World**

A deep bell tone rang through the room as Bra'tac took his place at the lectern. With raised palms he solemnly intoned. "Jaffa, hear me! This assembly will now begin. In attendance at this summit, hosted on the Free World of Haven, are representatives of all known and recognized Free Jaffa warriors. We die free!" "We die free!" rumbled in reply from hundreds of voices through the chamber and Dr. Sroda. The feeling was exhilarating, striking awe in the heart of every Jaffa in the room. None could name a moment in the history of the galaxy when so many Jaffa leading revolts against the Goa'uld were gathered in one place.

Bra'tac held up his hand again. "This summit was called by the leaders of the Free Jaffa to discuss recent events and developments with the Taur'i. The attack on Earth by the Goa'uld with the manufactured planet killing asteroid Ammit has enormous implications for our relationship with the Taur'I and we need to determine how this changes it. We will begin with discussion of Earth's most recent actions as proposed by Teal'c. The chair recognizes Teal'c of Chulak, Brigadier General of the Jaffa Auxiliaries."

Teal'c rose and took his place at the podium amidst the fervent whispers of the crowd. "Jaffa, hear me! The Taur'i's recent victory over the forces of the Goa'uld has transformed the nature of their war effort. Ever since my freedom the Taur'i have given limited support to the war against the False Gods due to internal disagreements over the best policy. Ammit has forced the situation to change. Where once these problems have constrained our allies they are an obstacle no longer. The full force of Earth's potential is being marshalled for war against the Goa'uld." Teal'c paused, letting murmurs ripple through the crowd as an older Jaffa warrior with a golden brand on his head stood. "The chair recognizes Gerak of Harro, First Prime of the Host of the Blade," intoned Bra'tac.

Gerak held up his hand, mimicking Bra'tac's gesture as he waited for the crowd to fall silent. "Jaffa," growled a gravelly voice scarred by a hundred atmospheres, "hear me. Teal'c of Chulak speaks very glowingly of his Taur'i friends but left unspoken is the real support we've received from our allies. They have the resources of a highly advanced world capable of producing weapons matching our own, enormous numbers of troops, dozens of offworld colonies, and their own potent fleet of powerful warships. Yet for all of these powerful assets they send token forces to our aid, barely stirring beyond the absolute minimum to save face. How is this any different from the System Lords and their arrogance? Why, my fellow Jaffa, should we see what is going on as any different from their previous empty promises of aid?"

Teal'c held up his hand amidst the growing chorus of argument, rage, and shouts of support for Gerak. "The chair recognizes Teal'c of Chulak," intoned Bra'tac as Teal'c rose to his feet again. "You misunderstand the nature of the Taur'i position. They, much like us, do not operate under a single leader but are a collection of many different associations. Furthermore they are very new to the galactic stage and many were unaware of the true extent of the Goa'uld and their threat to Earth." Gerak let out a guttural laugh, echoed by nearly a third of the Jaffa in the room. "Silence!" shouts Bra'tac, "We have all agreed to follow proper protocol for this summit. Show some respect all of you!" Order returns to the room before Gerak raises his hand as Bra'tac wearily says, "The chair recognizes Gerak of Harro."

Gerak's gaze swept the room, "And what good has that done for the Jaffa? The Taur'i rulers lie to their subjects, just as the Goa'uld did to us, and fought this war with one hand tied behind their back! Jaffa have died by the tens of thousands while the Taur'i waste time in the greatest opportunity for freedom the galaxy has ever seen! How, when the Taur'i have done so little after Apophis nearly conquered them years ago, are we to believe this change of heart will lead to a change in fortunes for the Jaffa?"

The chamber roared with dissension as Jaffa now shouted over one another. "Silence!" bellowed Bra'tac at the top of his voice. Finally the side conversations dribbled out. Deeper in the hall Istha rose to her feet, raising her hand high. Bra'tac gestured deep into the hall, "the chair recognizes Ishta of Goranak, Speaker of the Hak'tyl Moloc," only to be met with a sudden uproar from nearly half the Jaffa in the chamber. Bra'tac tried again, this time shouting, "I said Istha is recognized! SILENCE IN THE HALL!" Dr. Sroda shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the notorious Ishta rose to her feet, looking about at the menacing warriors gathered around her.

"Jaffa," Istha began before an especially large male Jaffa warrior shouted, "What worth are a high priestess and woman's words on matters of war?" followed by loud jeers, guffaws, and laughter. Ishta stood in stony silence, waiting for order to return before beginning again, "Jaffa, hear me. Though the Taur'i have contributed little to this war in terms of warriors they have done much for the lives of our people. Without the Taur'i we would not have safe places, including Haven where we now stand, for better prosecuting the war. Without the Taur'i we would not have the weapons so many of you depend on to keep fighting the Goa'uld." Istha took in another breath before saying, "Without them we would not have the alliance with the Tok'ra whose intelligence has proven so vital to many of our victories," when she was suddenly drowned out by a loud chorus of boos and jeers.

Dr. Sroda groaned to herself as the room exploded in shouting. Some bellowed out, "Silence! This is greatly out of order!" others bellowed, "Of course a weak woman would endorse the work of the treacherous Party Against Ra!" in rage. A handful replied, "Their information wins us battles and saves lives!" The uproar boiled up as the Jaffa weapons engineer remained silent in her seat. Even though she'd been awarded great status and positions among the Taur'i for her weapons expertise she felt even more unsure of herself as the room erupted. As much as she sympathized with Hak'tyl Moloc's goals and the work of their allied liberation movements sometimes they seemed to be pushing for too fast and too much at the same time. Istha's blunt demeanor, no-compromise attitude, and outspokenness didn't help any as most Jaffa men expected women to remain silent and demure in public affairs. Even with her experiences with other respected, commanding women in the Science Corps Sroda felt intimidated and uneasy in big meetings like this, wondering if maybe the assumptions of the men had some truth to them.

As the uproar died down the old warrior's voice rang out, "The chair recognizes Se'tek of Shamsa, First Prime of the Stormbreaker Host." The last, mutters trailed off as a young, severe looking male Jaffa warrior approached the speaker's podium. "Jaffa, hear me. Regardless of the import of these new promises and the Taur'i's commitment we must ask ourselves whether their help would truly matter. It is hard to argue against the effectiveness of their firearms but what of their ships? They only stopped Ammit with a lucky gamble and Apophis thanks to the Serpent Lord carrying a Stargate on his flagship. Have their ships ever proved themselves in battle against the False Gods? How can we put faith in them when we know not the might of their stellar arms?"

The room was filled with intent murmuring as Se'tek sat down. After a moment Bra'tac's voice filled the room, "The chair recognizes Teal'c of Chulak." Teal'c rose saying, "We have one among our number who can testify to the power of their newest vessels. I ask the summit to call Sroda of Gualan to testify as to the capabilities of the ships of the Taur'i." Bra'tac nods in agreement, "The chair calls Sroda of Gualand, Major and Doctor of the Jaffa Auxiliary, to testify before the Free Jaffa." Dr. Sroda quietly swallowed, slowly standing as she made her way to the podium just beside Bra'tac's lectern. She took in a deep breath, slowly lifting her eyes to meet the room.

"Do you," said the old man of the Free Jaffa, "Sroda of Gualan, swear to be honest and truthful in your testimony in the sight of all Free Jaffa?" She quietly nodded saying, "May the Jaffa witness my words." Bra'tac turns to Teal'c, "You may begin your questions." Teal'c strides forward, facing Sroda. "Sroda of Gualan what is your experience with the Taur'i and the stellar weapons capabilities?" Sroda clears her throat replying, "I have worked as a weapons artisan for the Taur'i for the past six years. Since my freedom I have provided the Taur'i with information on Goa'uld weapons systems, helped develop countermeasures, and test new Taur'i weapons systems such as their rail cannon technology. Following the Ammit Crisis the Taur'i invited me to participate in the test firing of the main weapons arrays for their new star cruiser."

"During these tests," said Teal'c, "What did you observe?" Sroda responded, "In spite of their somewhat primitive design, depending on projectile weapons over energy beams, their arsenal is surprisingly effective. Their railcannons have come a long way and fire two main types of shot. The standard load carried by most of their weapons are solid slugs with explosive chemical cores. The newest models they have are capable of firing over a hundred rounds a in a minute with each slug measuring as wide at the base as most Jaffa men's forearms. Smaller versions of the same weapon fire ten times as many rounds in the same amount of time, making them a great threat to fighter craft and smaller vessels like the Al'kesh. The non-standard load, which they call torpedoes, are far less common but more potent. They consist of huge tubes firing huge, rocket-propelled projectiles as wide at their base as most Jaffa men are tall. The bulk of their contents consist of weaponized naquadriah, creating a potent warhead designed to break Goa'uld energy shields."

As Sroda finished Teal'c paused, raising his right eyebrow as his gaze swept the room, before turning back to her. "Sroda of Gualan do you believe with these weapons the Taur'i could defeat the False Gods in deep space?" Sroda nervously glanced across the room, seeing many coldly silent eyes while a handful beaming at her supportively and answered, "Yes." Her single word answer was met with abrupt surprise from many in the room. "Silence!" shouted Master Bra'tac as Teal'c said, "Please elaborate." Sroda took a deep breath, slowing her heart, before she began. "Taur'i weapons have proven themselves in live trials and tests to be capable of inflicting more than enough damage to tear apart the hull of even the largest Goa'uld vessels. Death Gliders and Al'kesh would be easy prey for their weapons thanks to their high volume of fire leaving little room for maneuver. Further tests, using captured Goa'uld generators capable of matching a Ha'tak's output, showed six successful torpedo impacts are more than enough to completely negate a shield's defenses. In a pitched battle the battlecruiser they're testing could destroy one, possibly even two Ha'taks in a straight fight."

Teal'c smiled slightly during the surprising murmuring, stepping back as Se'tek rose to his feet. "May I ask the witness additional questions," he said approaching the lectern. Bra'tac nodded tersely as Se'tek turned towards Sroda. "Sroda of Gualan," he intoned, "What can you tell us about the design of the Taur'i ships? Was there anything that struck you as odd about their design?" Sroda paused for a moment saying, "Taur'i ships, though their weapons are very powerful, are much smaller than Goa'uld ships of the same capabilities. Their weapons are also limited by their own on-board supply stocks with only limited replenishment capabilities. This puts them at a disadvantage against most Goa'uld craft who are capable of sustaining fire as long as their reactors hold out."

Se'tek slowly walked closer before turning his back towards her and saying to the crowd, "And what about their crew complement? Do they possess ring transporters?" Sroda replied, "In this regard they are truly unusual. They carry only a hundred soldiers actually equipped as full-time shipboard combatants and have more than twice as many as artisans and repair personnel. The only place they match Ha'taks is in their complement of fighter craft." Se'tek spins and looks her right in the eye, "And what of ring transporters?" Sroda nods before saying, "They only have three, all designated for emergencies, evacuations, and helping rescue downed pilots."

The room roiled with tutting, notes of superiority, and a general tone of disapproval. "How can these ships ever threaten the power of the Goa'uld? They barely have enough warriors to defend themselves against boarding attacks much less stage their own assaults against enemy ships!?" Sroda suddenly and heatedly replied, "They don't care about taking ships intact, they intend to destroy all enemies in space without boarding!" Se'tek's eyes widen in surprise before he bellows sending Sroda shrinking slightly into her seat, "And how exactly will they do that? They are certainly no Asgard with technology and firepower far beyond that of the False Gods! Furthermore how do they plan to sustain war if they do not capture enemy warships? The System Lords are losing ships as fast as they build them, if not faster, and they control hundreds of hundreds of worlds."

Sroda, momentarily taken aback by Se'tek's verbal assault, whispered into the silence following Se'tek's thunderous tones, "I don't know First Prime, but the Taur'i are proving to be full of surprises."

WE THE PEOPLES AND NATIONS OF THE PLANET EARTH HAVE DETERMINED to save succeeding generations from the scourge of enslavement and alien conquest, to preserve the human species, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which the combined resources of the planet Earth can be put to the best use for securing these ends, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

AND FOR THESE ENDS to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite our strength to maintain planetary sovereignty, international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,

HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS

Accordingly, our respective Governments and Associations, through representatives assembled in the city of Nairobi, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present the Charter of the United Nations of Earth and do hereby establish the Planetary Government of the United Nations of Earth.

Pre-amble to the Charter of the United Nations of Earth

"The events of the Nairobi Convention are some of the most well-known and celebrated in galactic history. The critical four months spent in intense negotiation, discussion, and debate in late 9 M12 have been seen ever since as the founding moments of galactic unity for the human species. It was here a genuinely united world was formed and the precedent was set for galactic government. There is little doubt among historians the political reforms of the Nairobi Convention were vitally necessary for human survival in spite of their limitations and flaws.

The New York Summit set critical precedents and assumptions going in to Nairobi. At New York the United Nations received its first ever direct form of taxation, the beginnings of a true military, and the endorsement of the nations of the world to take the lead in mobilizing for war. Nairobi was meant to sort out the details and confer the more muscular United Nations with a greater degree of legitimacy and popular support. Discussions were dominated by concerns for how the world's nations would retain an essential degree of sovereignty while guaranteeing the security of the human population on Earth and across the galaxy. The results were the famous United Nations of Earth Charter.

The Charter, negotiated over the course of three months concluding on October 10, 10 M12, laid the foundations for how the new global government would function. Negotiators and representatives from governments the world over pushed hard to strike what they felt was a workable balance, incorporating existing lessons from the American, Westminster, and Japanese forms of parliamentary democracy. The result was a system designed to give humanity everything it needed to fight the war across the stars while preserving enormous internal autonomy for the member-nations.

The main governing body of the United Nations was the General Assembly. The new General Assembly would have two representatives from every member-nation, elected in whatever fashion the member-nation felt was most appropriate, and was the main legislative body. All measures concerning revenue, appropriations, or the expenditure of funds had to be first proposed in the General Assembly. The General Assembly was presided over by the President of the Assembly and operated on a simple majority on most measures.

The other half of the legislative elements of the UNE was the Security Council. The UNSC, as it was before Nairobi, was responsible for all military, defense, and security matters. The main difference was how it was organized. The pre-Unification format of five permanent, veto-wielding members with a rotating majority had caused a great deal of friction on many international issues. This was seen as a serious problem in a galaxy at war as was the old form of representation. The new UNESC consisted of eleven members representing the existing super-states including the newly formed Pacific Rim Federation and the North American Union. These representatives were chosen by the super-states by whatever methods each felt was most fitting. Measures required 7 out of 11 representatives to vote in favor to pass.

The executive of the newly formed UNE was the Secretariat. It was the Secretariat that executed GA and UNESC policies, administered the global bureaucracy, handled interstellar relations, and took care of the day to day tasks of governance. The Secretary General of the United Nations of Earth and the Assistant Secretary General were directly elected by the General Assembly from among their members and could be removed by the GA through a vote of no confidence. Unlike the Westminster system once two individuals are chosen for this position a special election was held to replace their seats in the GA, removing them from the day to day maneuverings of the General Assembly.

The Department Secretaries for the Secretariat were appointed by the Secretary-General and confirmed by the Security Council. The Department Secretaries formed the official Cabinet of the United Nations, the body responsible for setting high-level policy. Each Secretary was expected to stand in lock-step with the Secretary-General and withhold public criticism as long as they serve on the Cabinet. The departments first established for the Secretariat by UNE Charter were the Department of Planetary Defense, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Department of Peace and Justice, the Department of Science, Education, and Technology, the Department of Interstellar Affairs, the Strategic Intelligence Service, and the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources.

The judicial element was the aspect with the greatest change of all. Prior to Nairobi the International Court of Justice had a very limited remit and use. Following Nairobi the ICJ became the supreme legal authority on Earth. The organization was divided into two main branches for handling specific aspects of International Court of Justice's new task for making international law a reality. The main work of the ICJ would be handled by the greatly expanded International Court. They handled international law civil and criminal. Above the International Court was the High Court of Human Rights, the ultimate arbiter on questions of human rights and transparent legal processes. The High Court also directly presided over all cases of crimes against humanity. All justices on the International Court and the High Court were appointed by the Secretary General and confirmed by the General Assembly.

To enforce these major changes existing bodies were bolstered and new ones established to handle the added responsibility. Existing military forces, Stargate Command, the Interstellar Fleet, and the Aerospace Force, from the New York Summit were placed under the DPD with General George Hammond as the Chief of Command Staff. The DPD was further strengthened with the founding of Army of the United Nations and the Planetary Defense Forces. Taken from the cream of the Peacekeeping Corps and Earth's armed personnel the AUN and PDF were Earth's weapons for planetary warfare.

The AUN's job was to spearhead the defense of all UNE worlds, coordinate galactic-scale strategy, operate in defense of Earth's allies, and in time take the fight to the Goa'uld. The most elite units of Earth's militaries were transferred to the AUN, serving as the core for the army that would go on to liberate countless worlds. AUN troops trained in every environment imaginable on Earth and Gamma Site. The best of the best in the AUN were recruited for the elite Commandoes, the AUN's special forces. Held to a similar standard as the famous Stargate Teams Commandoes gave the AUN a powerful range of options in the coming galactic war.

The Planetary Defense Forces would be formed from the second cut of the Peacekeeping Corps and the rest of Earth's military forces. Initially the PDFs, Earthside, were a coordinating body for the military forces of the sovereign nation-states and super-states that made up the UNE. The PDFs job was to bring all units up to equal quality, establish uniformity of equipment to simplify logistics, support recruitment, and coordinate this disparate patchwork of armed forces. The early years of the PDFs Earthside were a halting, fits and starts affair thanks to entrenched suspicions and rivalries between Earth's militaries slowing global integration. Offworld the situation was very different. Formed directly from colonists, reserve personnel, and volunteers the PDFs were uniform planetary fighting forces under a single chain of command.

The rest of the Peacekeeping Corps, all told a total of one million personnel, were transferred to the newly-established Commission for Peacekeeping Operations in the Department of Peace and Justice. Their job was to keep the peace in contentious regions, step in to enforce cease-fires, maintain the security of sea lanes, and enforce resolutions of international justice. Peacekeeper deployments outside of authorized zones and UNE mandates required the approval of the Security Council, keeping a strong limitation on their use to what the super-states would sign off on. The DPJ was further reinforced by the consolidation of INTERPOL as a global criminal investigative service and counter-intelligence agency.

In questions of interstellar affairs the Reconstruction and Resettlement Agency of the PDC was moved to the Department of Interstellar Affairs. Reformed as the Commission for Offworld Settlement and Development the new commission's job was to oversee and supervise the settlement of humans on offworld sites, supervise the ASYLUM worlds, and survey new worlds for settlement. The mission of the COSD received some of the highest priority of any outside of the DPD during the Unification period thanks entirely to the Ammit Crisis. In the wake of such a deadly near miss there was a clear consensus that Earth civilization must survive even if Earth itself were to be destroyed. This drive fueled much of the early work of the COSD, giving them enormous amounts of resources.

To assist all of these agencies in their efforts and provide up to date, independent information on the Goa'uld and other threats the UNE Charter established the Strategic Intelligence Service. The SIS was granted a broad remit on any world that wasn't under the authority of the UNE to do whatever was necessary to gather intelligence, subvert enemy military operations, and undermine the Goa'uld Empire. Headed by the Director of Strategic Intelligence the SIS reported directly and only to the Security Council and the Secretariat. Its budget, much like that of the CIA and the KGB during the Cold War period, was top secret as were most of its operations.

These reforms vested the United Nations of Earth with unprecedented power, capabilities, and reach along with the muscle to enforce its resolutions. Yet for all of the potency the new government was given it had clear limitations. Any matters not pertaining to global defense, offworld affairs, international trade and dispute resolution, or international law were off-limits to the UNE. This offered a great deal of autonomy for member-nations in handling the specifics of economic and social policies along with allowing them their own, independent military forces.

The most critical manifestation of this was the controversial Local Representation Resolution allowing each member-nation to determine how they would choose their UN representatives. Nowhere were there provisions calling for the direct election or even elections of any sort for General Assembly and Security Council representatives. The LRR was a necessary compromise to prevent more authoritarian states and blocs lead by powers like China and Russia from walking away thus critically weakening Earth's defense.

Even in spite of such compromises the Nairobi Convention was a rousing success. On January 20th, 10 M12 the United Nations of Earth Charter was put to a global referendum. When the last ballots were counted every member-nation decided in favor of the new proposal. In countries where the decision was handled by direct, popular vote the average vote in favor was an astonishing 83% of all casting ballots with an incredible 94% turnout.

Immediately following the global referendum a new General Assembly and Security Council was elected. The snap elections across the planet were brief, quick, and in nearly every case handled by the legislatures of the member-nations rather than direct, popular elections as is the norm in the present day. The first General Assembly and Security Council for the United Nations of Earth convened on January 28th, 10 M12 electing US representative retired General Wesley Clark as the first UNE Secretary General and the Chinese representative Hu Jintao, the former President of the People's Republic of China, as the new Deputy Secretary General."

From Chapter 4: The Road to Unification, _The Origins of the Modern World_ by Prof. Andrea Masters, published in 61 M12

"At the conclusion of the Nairobi Convention and the successful confirmation of the UNE Charter in the January 20th Referendum Earth was in a very difficult economic position. The years leading up to Ammit and Nairobi had seen enormous dislocation and upheaval as the world transitioned away from fossil fuels and was on the road to post-scarcity. These changes saw unemployment rise across the planet, poverty soar, and the wealth of a few skyrocket as new technological potential was squandered in the name of personal profit. Upheaval and unrest were growing worldwide, reaching a destructive peak with the violence of the Oil Crash, and would have posed a serious challenge to any global government on their own.

The upheaval and chaos of the Ammit Crisis exacerbated an already precarious situation. The massive liquidation of capital by the wealthiest on Terra triggered the total and complete global collapse of the financial sector, leaving savings and monetary conditions in total ruin. Business ownership had come into dispute as workplace appropriations, emergency sell-offs, and bankruptcies coupled with outright missing or destroyed records created a massive knot in need of untying. The emergency evacuations, though relatively small in scale compared to the flood that was to come, created further upheaval planetside leaving many evacuees in a state of limbo.

The response of the newly constituted UNE to stop the bleeding was as swift as it was sweeping. Recognizing the economic situation, which only barely held together in the months following Ammit thanks to super-state relief efforts, would seriously jeopardize any plans for total war mobilization the UNESC and UNEGA moved quickly into action. The first main problem was sorting out the question of debts, ownership, and economic instability. The solution was the swift passage of the Global Monetary Reform Act, passed on February 8th 10 M12, and the sweeping Emergency Economic Relief Act, passed on February 12th 10 M12.

The GMRA established a new global currency, the bancor[1], with a pegged exchange rate to all other global currencies that was deemed valid for all debts, public and private, everywhere the UNE held sway. The EERA declared all debts, monetary obligations, and loans would be guaranteed in full value prior to the Ammit Crisis by the Commission for Monetary Policy, effectively converting tens of trillions of dollars, euros, yuan, and yen into bancors. On the question of property the EERA officially granted ownership of any properties liquidated or abandoned by their previous owners to anyone who was currently operating the property in an economically productive fashion. Any driven to bankruptcy were bailed out and restored to their de jure pre-Ammit owners. With a single stroke of a pen the EERA effectively placed just shy of 40% of Earth's economic capacity under the direct control of their workers, creating an enormous co-operatively owned sector.

The GMRA and the EERA put hard brakes on the spiraling uncertainty of the beginning of Unification and Earth's near-destruction, making the next major steps possible. As economic data poured in from DESA's analysts and researchers members of the UNE was presented with a number of different problems. To effectively mobilize the resources of Earth and the growing network of refuge worlds and mining colonies the Secretariat would need to employ the labor power of the vast majority of the world, overhaul all infrastructure to the bleeding edge of available technology on all fronts, and construct the necessary apparatus for building an interstellar war machine.

To answer these problems the personnel of DESA, DIT, and the nations of the world went to work researching prior examples of wartime mobilization policies, what worked, and what didn't. They also delved deep into the Age of Imperialism and Colonialism to determine what policies were most effective for supporting settler populations offworld and encouraging migration. The results of an entire planet's intellectual capacity set to the task, motivated by a clear desire for survival at nearly any cost, were presented in the famous Pomeranz Report of March 8th, 10 M12. This voluminous document concluded two things would be necessary for Earth to effectively overhaul its defenses and infrastructure in time to meet any major Goa'uld assault: total economic mobilization on a scale unseen since the Second World War and the rapid colonization of offworld sites to provide the necessary resources for sustaining it.

These findings were wholeheartedly embraced by the General Assembly and Security Council who acted swiftly to put them into effect. The results were the Global Transportation Act, the Global Emergency Mobilization Act, the Energy Act, the Military Service Act, the Maritime Security Act, and the Offworld Development and Settlement Act of April 10 M12. These pieces of legislation, championed by the Clark-Hu Secretariat, gave the UNE the legislative framework and authority it needed to marshal Earth for war. These acts were followed by a series of major appropriations for military expenditures such as the Interstellar Fleet Act, the Planetary Fortification Act, and the Solar Defense Act all calling for massive expenditures of funds for the DPD and national militaries.

First to receive a huge shot in the arm was the massive planetside economic efforts. These were made possible by mobilizing the huge number of unemployed, displaced, and refugee people worldwide for massive infrastructure projects. Under the auspices of the Global Transportation Act the Department of Infrastructure and Transportation worked on two major projects: connecting all maglevs, high speed rail lines, public transportation systems, and dock facilities into a single, fully modernized and automated web. In many regions, particularly Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, these systems had to be built completely from the ground up. This went hand in hand with the Global Emergency Mobilization Act, supervised by DESA, that called for the construction of the necessary facilities for interstellar war and the Energy Act which was responsible for bootstrapping the global power grid.

These major projects saw rapid, immediate results thanks to a number of factors. Within six months the number of planetside thorium fusion reactors doubled to a total of forty, 80% of all energy consumed by the average citizen was covered by renewable sources, wireless internet measured in petabyte speeds was available in every corner of the globe, and transportation grids were linked in a single globe-spanning network. These planetside developments bootstrapped the construction of the orbital infrastructure needed for large scale ship construction. The best example of these efforts was the rapid construction of thirty space elevators across the planet. In orbit they were linked by a network of maglevs making it possible to rapidly move and store resources. These nodes and lines were the foundation of the Great Belt, the backbone of modern industry on Terra, and were completed in December 10 M12.

As segments of the orbital transport network came online DESA was quick to build on these works. Every space elevator node, upon completion, became the sites for the first of the major transport vessel yards. Prior to Unification most starship construction took place in remote locations planetside, limiting capacity and output. These yards churned out hundreds of mining ships, freighters, colony ships, and surveyors every month. Inspired by the simple design of the Liberty ships of the Second World War the Acorns, Galleons, and Durins produced by the yards were surprisingly long-lasting in spite of their rapid, simple construction. Five of these yard complexes were tasked with churning out Cossack System Defense Ships in batch lots, knowing every ship they had was one more to defend Earth. Along with these yards was the first of the interstellar warship yards, the famous Pacifica Yard located in orbit over the Pacific Ocean, came online November 8th, 10 M12. Pacifica Yard boasted a total of 20 one kilometer long drydocks capable of churning out multiple ships at a time.

The first major element to these projects' success was the near-universal support amongst the world's governments. All parties benefited enormously from infrastructure modernization efforts and were further motivated by wartime necessity. The second was the massive number of unemployed yet trained or trainable workers worldwide. This made the question of labor a simple matter of posting recruitment ads and waiting for responses to flood in. The third was thanks to the development high energy power generation, renewables, cyberspace, and 3D printing. These technologies made mass production and rapid dissemination of information possible on an unprecedented scale. The fourth and final reason was the effective development of the global bureaucracy to coordinate these efforts based on prior historical examples.

These Earthside efforts went hand in hand with the push for galactic colonization. These efforts were directly coordinated by the Commission for Settlement and Offworld Development. Early on the main problems facing the COSD were acquiring sufficient resources for mass interstellar transportation and convincing people to go along with it. The former requirement was rapidly being met by the exploding orbital infrastructure built up by DESA and DIT. The latter would be handled from a number of different angles.

Central to the COSD's program of settlement was the fundamental policy that all uninhabited worlds claimed by Earth were the direct property of the UNE. This gave the COSD carte blanche to distribute land, resources, and assets in whatever fashion they saw fit providing enormous leverage in shaping policy. To this end the COSD declared all resources, provided they were harvested in a sustainable fashion, were free to be claimed by whoever could register a claim with the Commission and stake it offworld. Handling the information was a massive survey operation, known as the Newlands Project, intended to properly catalog and survey every one of the offworld sites claimed by the UNE. The Newlands Project sparked a massive rush for claims worldwide with hundreds of millions staking their claim on new opportunities and a fresh start.

As orbital yards came online and Acorns were churned out in droves the Newlands Project Report provided the UNE with the logistical capacity to truly make this possible. Stargates had made initial colonization, exploration, and settlement possible but DESA and COSD had concluded they had nowhere near enough capacity to sustain a constant flow of people needed to develop offworld sites at the needed rate. The vast fleet of Acorns constructed during the final months of 10 M12 provided the UNE with a fleet of over 500 simple, durable vessels capable of ferrying the millions needed to mobilize offworld assets.

The flow of people for the colonization effort were induced by more than just the desire for a new, free start. One such policy was the Offworld Lands Act. This put lands up for sale at cut-rate prices, making it in theory possible for anyone to purchase their own plots offworld and set up stakes. It further stated any veterans of the DPD would receive a plot sufficient to support themselves and their families upon completing ten years of active duty. In practice, much like the American Homestead Act, much of the land opened up for purchase was snatched up by large corporations, wealthy investment funds, and land speculators looking to make a quick buck. This gave the new owners of the land enormous leverage over the new emigrants, making it possible for them to dictate terms similar to those of indentured servitude. Only in the case of military communities or lands purchased by super-states and nation-states was there real equity and equality of opportunity in terms of land purchasing and access.

Closer to home the remnants of Ammit and major planetoids in the asteroid belt were surveyed by Durin miners. Hundreds of these mining ships stripped asteroids and the Ammit remnants bare of all useful resources as rapidly as possible, all to feed the growing appetite for the resources demanded by Earth's march to war. Supporting these efforts were new orbital refineries and ore processors constructed to reduce the logistical challenges in stellar infrastructure construction. These additional resources, combined with the growing flood of raw materials from offworld sites, made it far easier for Terra to build the infrastructure and vessels needed to defeat the Goa'uld."

From Chapter 6: Building Wartime Production, _Globalization and First Contact_ by Prof. Dipesh Iyer, published in 48 M12

"Earth's grand galactic strategy was guided by the same imperatives as its economic and political planning. The Goa'uld were seen, unquestionably, as an existential threat to life on Earth and the survival of the human species. Ammit demonstrated how incredibly powerful and dangerous the Goa'uld could be to any human world anywhere in the galaxy. Other cases, such as proof of Goa'uld mineral experiments on Langara, Apophis' earlier assault on Earth, and countless reports from the SGC of worlds under Goa'uld occupation hammered home the scale and severity of the threat to the species. This overriding dilemma drove UNE intergalactic policy throughout the Unification period, explaining many of their decisions.

The best example of these decisions was Earth's massive push to colonize the galaxy. When the United Nations first debated colonization plans in the General Assembly many in the esteemed body argued a rapid push across the stars would spread Earth's limited resources too thin. This school of thought argued for maximum effort and support for planetary defense putting all other concerns as secondary. Dubbing their position 'Fortress Earth' the main support for this position came from the People's Republic of China, Switzerland, and Brazil. These powers claimed the best strategy was making a strong Earth capable of repelling any Goa'uld attack.

In opposition to the 'Fortress Earth' position was the 'Species Survival' approach. Articulated most forcefully by the Russian Federation, the United States of America, and the Republic of Egypt the Species Survival argument claimed the threat posed by the Goa'uld was too great to invest all of Earth's resources in one solar system. The threat against humanity and every planet was so great that depending on Earth's survival was too great a risk for the species to take. Earth needed to seed the galaxy with colonies, build up other independent human-inhabited worlds, and develop an effective force for galactic power projection.

What swayed the General Assembly in favor of the 'Species Survival' position was the revelation of the full list and nature of all known Stargate coordinates. These coordinates, obtained by Stargate Operations from an Ancient archive, were to the best of the knowledge of Earth and the Tok'ra totally unknown to the System Lords. Further adding to the strength of this data was the sheer number of potential Stargates in the Milky Way Galaxy. Every Stargate, when dialing an address, lined up a combination of 6 symbols from a set of 38 possible choices. The result was a total of 1,987,690,320 possible Gate addresses in a galaxy with over 200 billion known planetary bodies. Even if a System Lord, in control of hundreds of worlds, were to use over a hundred gates to randomly dial planets until they found an Earth colony it would take over ten thousand years for them to cycle through all possible addresses and millions of personnel to carry out.

The second main prong of the 'Species Survival' position was the Ammit Crisis. Ammit demonstrated that, in spite of the astonishing luck of SG-1, the Goa'uld possessed weapons of enormous power and destructive capacity. Even if Earth were to fortify sufficiently to hold back conventional assault there was no guarantee some sort of technological terror wasn't lurking in the galactic depths. Combined with the data from the Ancient archive the 'Species Survival' party carried the day with the passage of the Offworld Development and Settlement Act and the New Horizons Resolution. These legislative actions laid the foundations of UNE interstellar policy.

The OSDA, along with offering free land for settlers, codified how offworld colonies would be administered. Existing offworld sites, established by the IOC and the PDC, were the backbone of Earth's galactic push. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Sites remained military bases and saw rapid expansion under the Department of Planetary Defense, becoming hubs for offworld military activity. Delta and Epsilon Sites, established as refuge worlds to ensure the continued survival of humanity in the event of total extinction of life on Earth or Goa'uld invasion, became the first major centers for colonization as their lush climates and wealth of resources made them ideal for habitation. The Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, and Kappa Site mining outposts were opened up to mineral prospecting and exploration providing Earth with a broad base for procuring critical resources such as naquadah, iridium, and trinium.

One of the more controversial aspects of the OSDA was the King-Petrov Protocol. This section of the OSDA handled policy regarding the ASYLUM worlds, planets colonized by refugees liberated during the KEYSTONE campaign. By 10 M12 twenty four worlds were colonized by ASYLUM's efforts but their administrative status was often hazy at best due to the unique nature of their establishment and support. King-Petrov was intended to resolve this by formally declared all ASYLUM worlds under the administration of the COSD to be treated as colonies. King-Petrov remains one of the more debated aspects of the UNE's colonial policy and was vehemently protested in its time by African and Latin American delegates as an opportunistic land grab.

Another equally controversial aspect was the New Opportunities Directive. The NOD stated anyone who emigrated offworld would be granted amnesty for all crimes committed on Earth under the condition they remain offworld for a period of at least 20 years. In theory the NOD was meant to give low-level and non-violent offenders a chance at a new life. In practice the NOD was used by the super-states as an excuse to liquidate undesirable populations, strong-arming political dissidents, ethnic minorities arrested of minor crimes, and the homeless and impoverished and deport them en masse offworld. The morality of the NOD is a hotly debated topic to this day, with discussion pitting the immorality and coercive measures used against the survival necessity used to justify such measures.

The New Horizons Resolution worked hand in hand with these efforts. Passed as a joint resolution by the General Assembly and the Security Council on April 10, 10 M12 New Horizons declared Earth would stand as an ally with any humans at war with the Goa'uld. The Clark-Hu Secretariat moved swiftly to make this sweeping vision a reality sending the Secretary for Interstellar Affairs, Ban Ki-Moon, on a whirlwind tour of every offworld human government who was in contact with the PDC. Over the course of the next six months Secretary Ban met with the governments of Langara, Pangara, Abydos, Edora, Orban, and Lamora affirming existing friendly relations with each.

These discussions made the Geneva Summit of 10 M12, which began on October 12 10 M12, possible. At numerous meetings, discussions, and presentations delegates from six offworld human governments, military forces, and economic officials hammered out the necessary conditions for galactic co-operation. The different representatives swiftly concluded the sheer amount of power and territory controlled by the Goa'uld, estimated at over 8,000 worlds by the SIS, made close co-operation necessary for survival. The most potent case used in support of this position was the fate of the Tollan who were destroyed by the Goa'uld in spite of their technological superiority, fortress world, and policy of galactic neutrality.

On December 19 10 M12 the result of these discussions was presented to the galaxy. The Geneva Pact established the framework for a galactic alliance of independent human powers united in mutual defense, technological assistance, and the ultimate defeat of the Goa'uld as a threat to humanity. The main terms of the Pact stated every member government was pledged to mutual support, assistance, and co-operation in resisting the Goa'uld threat. This included technology exchanges, shared intelligence, training exercises, and mutual defense in the event of a Goa'uld attack. One of the most famous sections of the Pact was the Lend-Lease Agreement which formalized the sharing of military hardware across the galaxy."

From Chapter 8: Mobilizing for War, _Political History of Our Galaxy_ by Prof. Li Feng, published in 59 M12

"The story of the rapid construction of the Deep Space Fleet and the stellar forces of the Geneva Pact is well-known across Terran space. Made possible by recent, major advances in human manufacturing technology on Earth the rapid buildup of the Deep Space Fleet and Interstellar Command stands as a powerful example of humanity's industrial genius. Advances like fusion power, first generation AI, and 3D printing made rapid construction on every scale far easier to accomplish. The synthesis of these technologies were the first industrial fabricators.

In previous eras industrial fabrication of any kind required multiple bulky, stationary facilities fueled by the necessary refined materials. Industrial fabricators combined the automation and analytical potential of First Generation AI, the compact yet highly precise capabilities of the 3D printer, and new compounds to build what were essentially mobile factories. In previous eras industrial fabrication of any kind required multiple bulky, stationary facilities fueled by the necessary refined materials. This limited industrial development by requiring the construction of infrastructure for moving goods and raw materials. Industrial fabricators, by contrast, only required refined materials to operate and could deliver and install manufactured products on-site greatly simplifying logistics.

The key aspect making industrial fabricator technology so revolutionary was how adaptable it was. Advances in miniaturization, denser batteries, and AI made it possible for fabricators to be constructed in a number of forms and sizes. On the smallest end of the scale were the famous Handyman powered suits, first mass produced in 11 M12, that were capable of building smaller components, installing them, and performing vital spot checks. The largest were the stadium-sized Metropolis construction centers used to build the Pacific Yards and the first zero atmosphere facilities on Mars and Luna. Widespread wireless networking made it easy to share plans and data, allowing even the smallest fabricators to construct larger units and coordinate large scale projects with ease.

The same principles dictated how Terran orbital and starship construction developed. The Pacifica Yards and other space elevator yards were, in essence, enormous stationary fabricators. These facilities received regular deliveries of materials through the orbital network and from sublight mining ships, fueling enormous engines of production. Each of Pacifica's space docks were designed as massive, two-lane orbital facilities with massive refineries, landing bays, and warehouses running down the center. Each dock could construct as many ships as they could fit, making it possible for one space dock operating at full capacity to construct four Unity cruisers at a time. Smaller space elevator yards churned out even larger volumes of non-military ships like Galleons, Acorns, and Durins.

These technologies were also applied on UNE starships. Unity cruisers and the newer Sabre-class frigates, introduced as a counter to Goa'uld Al'kesh and Death Gliders and escorts for the larger Unitys, were equipped with on-board armory fabricators. These onboard manufacturing complexes supplemented railcannon stocks extending the longevity of the main guns. Hand in hand with the armory facilities were part shops capable of replacing most components on the ship, greatly easing logistics and extending their longevity. Unification-era ships acquired necessary raw materials in the field with Osprey-class shuttles, sublight miners with limited on-board refining capabilities and powerful survey sensors.  
Earthside and in the colonies industrial replicators greatly eased the process of developing modern infrastructure and production systems. DESA used industrial replicators to build fusion reactors, solar panels, hydrological generators, and maglev lines. New sanitation systems, public transportation networks, and power lines sprung up around the world. Slums were cleared and replaced with solid, mass-manufactured housing complexes. On colonies COSD raised cities from nothing, spun transportation webs, and built modern production systems across the galaxy."

From Chapter Seven: The Engines of the Interstellar Revolution, _The Interstellar Revolution_ by Prof. Eduardo Garza, published in 55 M12

*A comet shoots across the sky on screen, trailing stardust behind it. As it slowly trickles down the opening instrumental for "A Whole New World" plays.*

VOICEOVER: The opportunities in the galaxy today are endless. Now more than ever everyone is free to chase their dreams in the stars and beyond.

*Camera pans through space, zooming in on a happy family on a farm in lush, open land.*

VOICEOVER: In co-operation with the Commission for Offworld Settlement and Development Disney is helping people reach their dreams. We offset the cost of travel, provide you with credit and tools, and the know-how to reach the stars.

*Camera shifts to a young, fresh-faced couple boarding an Acorn ship in the Space Elevator port*

VOICEOVER: Come and see a whole new world with us today.

"A Whole New World", a video advertisement produced by the COSD and the Disney Corporation, first broadcast July 8th, 10 M12

"With Unification came a new drive from across the planet. Like other states in the past, whether feudal, ideological, or ethno-nationalist, the newly reformed and empowered United Nations of Earth needed to establish a sense of shared identity to bind itself together. Without that the UNE Charter would be little more than an idealistic declaration of principles. Thankfully for the UNE and humanity the circumstances of Unification were the perfect conditions for cultivating a new understanding of global identity.

Earth's new, united world was the perfect crucible for forming such a culture. The overwhelming threat of the Goa'uld, made present by First Contact and crystallized by Ammit, was the main pressure in forcing a worldview of global unity and common ground. Just like the Mongols under Temujin Genghis Khan, the Shawnee and other tribes under Tecumseh, the Scots under Robert de Bruce, and the Germans under Bismarck were drawn together as singular nation-states through outside conflict Earth came together as a single planet against the Goa'uld.

Further assisting the development of new identity was the increasing connection of the entire planet. Beginning with air travel and further accelerated by the Internet and maglev rail lines communication, travel, and trade became increasingly common, easy, and widespread. The easy contact between people built friendships, networks, and communities of interest across the planet.

The new sense of humanity developing on Earth was occurring not just in stellar circumstances of doom but also planetside conditions of austerity. The sheer scale of the Goa'uld Empire demanded every economic and military asset on the planet be mobilized for battle. Such total social mobilization hadn't been seen since the World Wars period. Every person, usable resource, and source of production was to be used in fighting a conflict for the survival of humanity. There was no person in the world not touched by the mobilization efforts with new mines, maglev lines, refineries, fusion reactors, and manufacturing complexes springing up daily.

Even for those not working directly in the swelling war industries the wartime mobilization left no aspect of life untouched. Resources once freely enjoyed by inhabitants of the more affluent regions of the planet became a scarcity. Access to food, basic commodities, and other resources was strictly rationed with administration handled by the sprawling Commission for Resource Allocation. Consumer goods like televisions and private automobiles became increasingly simple and scarce.

The needs of the rationing program inspired around it a culture of simplicity. The ostentatious displays of wealth and privilege of the pre-Contact and Contact periods became increasingly frowned upon as profligate waste. In a time where humanity needed every scrap of resources it could muster for its defense wasting raw materials, labor, and energy on luxury goods was highly frowned upon across society. This was further fed by the steady trickle of stories of busts of black marketeers and ration cheats, reinforcing already powerful social pressures.

Hand in hand with the economic mobilization in terms of cultural impact were the massive military training programs across the planet. People in every community, when not working at planetside and orbital industry or packing for a long-term voyage across the stars, were drilled weekly in civil defense procedures, weapon maintenance and use, and wilderness survival. The DPD, as part of the Species Survival Policy, was seeking to achieve two objectives. The first was to create a broad pool of potential recruits and the second was to turn as much of the population as possible into a guerilla fighting force. If Earth was to be invaded, they reasoned, then the Goa'uld would be bogged down in fighting long enough for aid and reinforcements to arrive from offworld.

These programs brought with them the new party line coming from the Security Council: through unity and respecting the diversity of Earth's peoples humanity would survive. The greatest strength of the human race, UNE authorities and supporters argued, was the multiple different historical experiences, cultural perspectives, and schools of thought for resolving problems and analyzing material conditions. Humanity's long history of conflict was used as a source of inspiration with stories of overwhelmed underdogs, heroic struggles, and the rugged, adaptable fighting power of the human species becoming quite popular among the masses.

The main driver of this message and the United Earth movement was the Department of Social and Cultural Affairs. Responsible for sponsoring studies in the humanities, understanding the human condition, the arts, and cultural preservation DSCA played a major role in building the first truly global culture in Earth's history. Headed by Secretary Mahesh Sharma the DSCA was an aggressive promoter of the United Earth movement's vision. Many cultural historians have celebrated the massive outpouring of material during this period as a flowering of Earth's culture. Others have criticized the conservative, circumspect policies dominating the Sharma Secretariat for downplaying women's rights in many parts of the planet, dismissing very real ethnic tensions and minority grievances, and some of the more coercive measures used to encourage many of Earth's poor to emigrate offworld.

A particular bone of contention kept quiet in the media by the DSCA and DSET was how often the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ignored by local and regional authorities. The Universal Declaration, a key component of the UNE Charter, was a lofty, visionary document. It guaranteed political, economic, and social rights for all of Earth's inhabitants to an unprecedented degree. The Universal Declaration was used by many supporters in much of the world as a key argument for supporting the UN Charter referendum. Unfortunately in practice the exigencies of war meant much of this soaring promise would not be delivered following the referendum. This was thanks to the Department of Justice's regional interpretation policy.

Regional interpretation was one of the many political compromises made in the Security Council during the Clark-Hu Secretariat. This policy placed maintaining order and guarding against Goa'uld infiltration as higher priorities than prosecuting human rights violations. While in some of the most egregious acts saw legal action in high-profile cases for much of the planet there a great deal of leeway given to the super-states as to how much of the Declaration actually mattered in practice. Due process rights were freely disregarded when defendants stood accused of actions detrimental to the defense of Earth and humanity. Many defendants, accepting plea bargains under the NOD, found themselves stuck with choosing between the most hazardous jobs available for fixed contracts of ten to twenty years or even longer prison terms.

These discrepancies fueled to a simmering tide of discontent across the planet. Coming into their own during the United Earth period was the new Terranist movement. Born from earlier globalist activist movements, anti-authoritarian groups, and organized labor the Terranists argued it was necessary to do more than just win the war. What truly gave this movement its shape and name was the publication of the first three volumes of the works of Dr. Daniel Jackson on the Ancients. Dr. Jackson's first three volumes, published posthumously, contained everything from linguistic manuals to speculative histories and the analyses of archeological finds. The Terranists, using the Ancient word for Earth, argued humanity were the heirs of the Ancients and had a duty to defend the galaxy, particularly humanity, from alien threats. Earthside they demanded the promise of the Universal Declaration be upheld, forced emigration of the poor stop, and co-operative worker control of all economic activity."

From Chapter 7: From the Ashes, _The Future is Out There: A Cultural History of the Turn of the Millennium_ by Prof. Travis Wingate, published in 59 M12 

"Following the signing of the Geneva Pact Stargate Command underwent enormous changes. At the time of the Pact's signing, even with the tremendous resources being allocated to the Interstellar Fleet and the colonization program, the SGC was the blade of Earth's spear in the war against the Goa'uld. As the main weapon in the conflict to date the SGC took on a central role in organizing Earth's defenses along with seeing its own significant changes in terms of organization, equipment, and personnel. By the end of 11 M12 the SGC of the UNE, under the supervision of the Department of Planetary Defense, dramatically transformed itself and Earth's armed forces. With George Hammond now serving as the Chief of Command Staff for the DPD and the SGC's steady expansion over the years a number of major slots opened up that needed filling.

The most obvious was resolving the question of who would now command Stargate Operations and the Gate Corps. After much debate within the SGC and the DPD Hammond recommended Jack O'Neill be promoted to the rank of Major General and given command of Stargate Operations, putting him in charge of all of Earth's famous SG Teams. The Gate Corps was put under the command of the highly capable Major General Xiao Huawei, previously of the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps before joining the Gate Corps in 7 M12. Overall command was given to Lieutenant General Sir Jonathan Shaw, a British officer who served in the Parachute Regiment and as Director of Special Forces before transferring to the SGC in 5 M12.

Other famous and storied officers from the SGC would see transfers to critical roles outside of the SGC where their talents could be put to the best use possible. Samantha Carter, having proven her brilliance during Operation DRAGONSLAYER, was offered and accepted a lateral move to the Interstellar Fleet's Bureau of Ships along with a promotion to the rank of Captain. Her work on power systems and later innovations in interstellar tactics and strategy would be an enormous boon for Earth's defense in the coming years. Dr. Jonas Quinn left the UNE SGC to serve as the new Director for Offworld Studies at the Langaran Ministry of Information, Science, and Technology and as a key adviser to the Langara Stargate Force. The most famous such transfer was Teal'c of Chulak being promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and named the first Jaffa commander of the Jaffa Auxiliary.

These changes in personnel were paralleled by the push to bring Earthside and offworld military forces up to snuff for the coming conflict. SGC personnel played a vital role in training human militaries in the art of galactic war. The most famous example was Operation DEEP BENCH. DEEP BENCH deployed SGC officers across the galaxy to Geneva Pact worlds, Asgard protected planets, and UN colonies to build a network of Stargate fighting forces across the galaxy. Their work bore fruit swiftly with examples of heroic action and victories by the personnel of the Abydonian Stargate Guard, the Langaran Stargate Force, and the Orbanian Gateborne along with many other gateborne human forces. These early victories bought time for humanity to build up stellar forces and prepare for the coming war.

The SGC also saw major changes in their equipment loadouts thanks to years of field testing and development. In 9 M12 the famous Jaguar armor suits were introduced into action, becoming a favorite of SGGC personnel. These suits utilized critical advances in ceramic composites and advanced polymers to provide lightweight, resilient full body personal protection capable of protecting the wearer from Zat guns and in some cases staff blasts. They incorporated sophisticated battle computers responsible for monitoring biometrics, regulating built-in first aid systems and NBC countermeasures, handling communications, process information from satellite and drone uplinks, and regulating the body glove responsible for dissipating the heat produced by the Jaguar suit. The whole suit was powered by built-in batteries charged by armored microsolar strips and thermal energy.

The famous Hercules suits of the Gate Corps would be phased out in favor of the more sophisticated Knight class powered armor suits of 10 M12. Like the Hercules Knight suits were the lead elements in any assault on a hostile world, whether gate-borne or orbital. They carried thick ceramic polymer plates even more resilient than those of the older Hercules suits enjoying near-total invulnerability to Goa'uld small and heavy arms fire. Only sustained, concentrated barrages from heavy Goa'uld staff cannons or Death Gliders could reliably destroy a Knight in action. The Knights carried more sophisticated weapons such as the arm-mounted dual 20mm railcannons loaded with armor piercing and explosive rounds, four magnetic launchers located in the shoulders loaded with anti-air and anti-ground missiles, wrist-mounted plasma torches, and a full electronic warfare and sensor suite. Measuring approximately 2.5m tall and far less bulky than the older Hercules suits Knights were also cheaper and easier to build, seeing far more deployed to Gate Corps and SGO forces.

Personnel were further supported by other key developments. One noted advantage of staff weapons in firefights was their high firepower. Though they fired slowly each blast tore apart existing cover and concealment, forcing the SGC to depend heavily on fire and move tactics, luck, and overwhelming firepower. Jaguar suits and Knights were one part of the answer to the problem. Another was the 10 M12 20mm Infantry Railcannon. Armed with the same rounds and rate of fire as the Knight suit models the 20mm IR gave infantry their own portable punch. Magnetic mortars and MANPADs gave infantry additional options in action against the Goa'uld.

The final element of the new SGC loadout was drone warfare. Drones had been in use by the SGC and other Earth powers for most of the Post-Contact period in warfare. Capable of providing vital intelligence without engendering soldiers drones became increasingly fast, small, and sophisticated in terms of what they could record and transmit. The introduction of the Beholder Drone in 11 M12 was the culmination of these developments. Around the same size as the common Earth housefly these drones were released in swarms of hundreds of drones over the battlefield from every suit and soldier. Their small size and large number made it possible for them to observe all parts of a major battlefield and the data, observation, and operations were coordinated by First Generation AI operating on a massive, heavily encrypted peer to peer network. Their data was plugged in to interfaces in Jaguar and Knight suits providing valuable real-time battlefield intelligence.

These equipment changes came in a time of enormous expansion. Along with training the military forces of the galaxy the SGC had new and greatly expanded mandates from the DPD. The Gate Corps, the specialist light assault infantry used to support Stargate Operations missions, was tasked with defending all Stargates under UNE control. Bases were established at every gate similar to Earthside, Alpha, and Beta Site standards of defense. Stargate Operations, the section responsible for the activities of the famous SG Teams, saw enormous expansion as the leading element in the war against the System Lords. This elite force soared in size to a total of 70,000 personnel in dozens of Operation Groups.

Augmenting these institutional and equipment changes was a network of military fortifications constructed across the Solar System. On Earth intercontinental ballistic missile launchers were repurposed to fire surface to space projectiles and the Orbital Defense Command bases over the North and South Pole were rushed into production, coming online in 12 M12. These bases mounted heavy railcannons, torpedo launchers, and aerospacecraft bases filled with wings of Wasps and Sidewinders. These orbital aerospacecraft were further augmented by dozens of air groups stationed planetside.

Outside of Earth DPD planners moved to build up the Solar defenses. The four most famous examples are the Mars Fleet Anchorage, Luna Defense Base, Titan Base, and the Pluto Deep Space Radar Outpost. The Mars Anchorage was constructed beginning in 10 M12 and was completed in 12 M12 to serve as a more effective and forward fleet base for Interstellar Command's Solar Fleet. The Mars Anchorage was included its own yard facility and was supported by a space elevator connected to a planetside Stargate salvaged from Tollan. These yards gave the Solar Fleet, the element of the Deep Space Fleet tasked with defending the Solar System, an advance base for operations in the system and a powerful center for repair and maintenance work. The Mars Anchorage pioneered planetside armored domes connected by maglevs that are common on low to no atmosphere worlds, providing solid shelter and adaptable space for those stationed on such facilities.

Similar armored dome facilities were constructed on Luna and Titan. Luna Defense Base, constructed to support aerospacecraft, system defense ships, and carry heavy anti-ship defenses, boasted some of the most powerful weapons and munitions in the UNE's arsenal including the famous 120cm Starbuster Railcannons. Titan served as the outer system support base for aerospacecraft and system defense ships. Titan came with its own dense network of defenses intended to keep lighter Goa'uld craft at bay in the event of attack. Pluto, on the extreme end of the Solar System, became home to the famous Deep Space Radar Outpost. The DSRO was an automated, heavily armored and shielded sensor facility used to provide critical intelligence and early warning capabilities for UNE stellar forces."

From Chapter 9: The Reforms of the UNE, _The History of Stargate Command Volume I: Once More Into the Breach!_ by Major Kyle Schroeder, SGC, published in 54 M12

[1] Taking the name from John Maynard Keynes' proposed international medium of exchange


End file.
